


Young Past

by ThatPotatoWhoWrites



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Child Abuse, De-Aged, F/M, Time Travel, luke and leia are kids, mentions of child abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:55:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 69,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27029203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatPotatoWhoWrites/pseuds/ThatPotatoWhoWrites
Summary: Vader is determined to find a way to revive Padmé and his journey takes him to a mysterious temple that houses a powerful stone within. He is sent back to the past, accidentally dragging a Luke and Leia from the future along with him.When Luke and Leia arrive on a clone wars era Coruscant, they are horrified to find they are trapped in the bodies of their child selves. Together, they need to track down Vader before he can damage the time line. The only issue is, Vader himself was returned to a fully functional body with the strength of a practiced Sith Lord. Will they muster the strength to stop him, or will he prove to be too much to handle?
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Han Solo, Anakin Skywalker & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa & Darth Vader, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker & Han Solo, Leia Organa/Han Solo, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Luke Skywalker, Padmé Amidala & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala & Leia Organa, Padmé Amidala & Luke Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader
Comments: 353
Kudos: 937





	1. Time

**Author's Note:**

> In the tags I mentioned that child abuse may appear at some point. It is not graphic by any means, or violent, but I think it is important to mention. I will put warnings at the start of the chapters where this plays a roll.

Vader stared out at the towering temple in front of him. The force coiled around it like a restricting serpent. Dark and light clashed, making any force sensitive within its vicinity nauseous. It was like an earthquake meeting a tornado. The two sides fought so violently for control of the temple that harsh winds whirled furiously around it. Large mountains rose to impossible heights on all sides of the long, thin valley surrounding them. The stone temple was situated at its heart, with lush life sprouting all around, just not within the immediate range of the ancient stone structure. Even the ground it stood upon was barren and bare. Little could be heard over the wailing of the wind.

Vader's TIE fighter groaned behind him as the wind pressed upon it. Clenching his fist tight, the Sith strode head on into the storm and through the gaping archway. The inside was cavernous and built like some sort of religious place of worship. Rings of teared seating descended into the ground where a large square pedestal held up its gleaming treasure. Vader descended the steps, noting that the two clashing sides of the force only became more intense. It felt like his guts were being tugged around inside of him, and violent wind pressed into his side, making it difficult to walk. The thought of seeing Padmé again made him persist. 

The moment Vader stepped off the teared seating and into the flat ground that circled around the pedestal, the cold queasiness was wiped form his body. The force had completely stilled. All noise outside of the strange bubble he had walked into was nullified. When Vader approached the pedestal, he narrowed his eyes at the smooth, oval rock that lay upon it. The surface was a brilliant green with swirls of darkness marbling its surface. Looking at the rock somehow eased his anger and hatred. The longer he stared at its vibrant surface, the more intense the calming effect became. 

The rock was rumoured to control time itself and from the turbulent storm that shifted around it, Vader thought it could be true. If he could go back in time to save Padmé, then he could only hope the last twenty years of his life would be wiped from existence.

The Sith reached out a mechanical hand to pluck it from the pedestal. As it sensing his intent, the rock began to shudder and shake. It's green surface began to glow. Vader plucked it from its place and the rattling ceased. The green light emitted only became more intense, flashing brightly and consuming him completely. For a moment, all he could think of was Luke. The boy hadn't taken it well when he had received news of his true parentage on Bespin, but if Vader could change the tide of time then perhaps the boy could be brought up by his real parents. The calm of the stone lapped at the edges of him mind, pulling him into a gentle slumber.

*

Luke burst awake. Soggy heat clung to his body. Darkness greeted his eyes. The sound of his rapid breath and blood thundering in his ears drowned out all other noises. A thick panic hazed his mind. Sitting upright on the bed, he crossed his legs into a basket and seized control of his breathing. The heat began to seep from his bones and the innate terror subsided. It also allowed him to locate the object of his terror. There had been a huge boom in the force, its shockwaves still blasting over him. It was like dropping an ion charge into water. When it finally settled, it left something that made his gut clench in his wake. 

A revolting, repugnant presence was pulsing in the force. Long, black tendrils of rage and aggression lashed out all around. It wasn't too far from where Luke was, ten clicks by speeder. The horrible being was right next to a village of civilians however, and even from such a distance he could feel their innocent terror. The worst part of it all, Luke recognised that presence like that back of his hand. It had whispered in his mind for years. It had been the object of many nightmares. It had caused him and his friends pain beyond belief. Contrarily, it had also saved his life. 

Luke felt confusion pull his brows together. Vader was dead, and this presence of his felt nothing like the lighter one that had died in Luke's arms and guided him on the path of a Jedi since Endor. It was the malevolent presence he spent years running and hiding from. A cold shudder wracked his body. 

A red light blinked beside his bed, catching his attention. It was his wrist comm. Luke leaned over the side to scoop it up. With a finger he answered the incoming transmission. "Luke, did you feel that?" Leia's voice whispered through the speaker. Luke reached out through the force and feeling Leia not too far from him, only in the other side of their little rebel compound. Although her voice had been steady, he could feel she was deeply unhinged. There was a jittery fear surrounding her that he likened to a cornered bantha.

"Yes. Its him." Luke replied unevenly, not quite believing the words leaving his mouth.

"How? He is dead." Leia stammered, her voice picking up a little more noise.

"The force is an enigma that always puts its will into action." Luke grumbled, running a hand down his face. Leia was startled, but it didn't take her long to raise her mental shields. Clenching his jaw, he did the same. They had no idea what they were walking into. For all he knew it could be a trap. "We had better go and find him. We need to stop him before he can harm any of those villagers." Suddenly the dark presence was whipped into a frenzy. It's coldness seeped into the air around them. 

"Yes, agreed." Leia responded sharply, before cutting off her line.

Luke wasted no time in preparing himself. Practically jumping into his clothes, he met Leia at the rebel hangar where they clambered onto speeders and took off into the darkness. The orange sun was peaking up over the horizon, illuminating the tall grass and occasional spindly tree. Plumes of dust flew up behind their speeders. Luke was amazed at how quickly Leia had pulled herself together. Whilst she looked chic and well groomed in travel gear, he looked like he had sloppily thrown his clothes on in the dark. Although he had, which explained his disheveled appearance.

When they arrived at the village, people were running. Screaming. The straw tents had huge plumes of smoke billowing up into the scarlet sky. Luke practically threw himself from his speeder and delved into the chaos. At the centre of the small settlement, a figure clad in black stood with haunched shoulders and a hung head. The rage he possessed made the air fit and seize around him. Sandy wind twisted around him. A few of the small homes dotted around him were cut in half or engulfed in flames. There were no civilians left. They had all completely scattered, or lay dead on the ground.

Luke approached Vader cautiously, sensing that the Sith had not yet noticed him. Leia stood by his side, her own lightsaber handing from her belt. Although she hadn't been training with it for long, what little experience she had should keep her alive long enough to flee should things go south. "Vader," Leia called out to him. The Sith's head snapped up towards them. Luke's blood ran cold. From the minimal detail he could make out, he knew something was off. Where Vader's angular helmet should have been was the soft curve of a cheek. Hundreds of small highlights illuminated a mass of long, curly hair. The armour that was normally so rigid, was slightly skewed and leaning to one side. 

"Luke," replied a voice that most certainly could not have been Vader's. Instead of a deep, mechanical, baritone, it was light, airy and accented. "Princess," the voice dipped slightly into a snarl. A noise that Luke was fairly certain Vader could not make.

"How are you here?" Luke's voice shook slightly as he stepped towards his father. 

The silhouette tilted its head slightly. "The stone sent me here, but this isn't where I wanted to go," the strange voice answered simply. The anger had dimmed, but was still writhing out of control. This was certainly not the calm and callous killing machine Vader had become towards the end of his life. It was an anger Luke hadn't felt since Bespin.

"Explain yourself," Leia snapped. Luke could feel her irritation humming in the force. 

"No," he growled. Vader's blade ignited, washing his features in scarlet light. All Luke could pick out before the Sith lunged was that his armour was practically hanging from him. Luke caught the blade with his own before it struck Leia. The Sith was moving at a speed Luke had never seen him achieve before. Igniting her own weapon, Leia lunged after the Sith. Luke tried to bark a warning, but it was too late. In one swift motion he cut her hand clean from her arm. Letting out a shout of pain, she sunk to her knees after her fallen hand and grasped at her smoking stump. Another swipe from Vader forced Luke to focus his attention back to the duel. It didn't last long because a bright, green light began to shine from Vader's free hand. The Sith let out a startled grunt. Waves of calm rolled out, blanching over their skin. They all lapsed into unconsciousness.


	2. Coruscant

Luke roused slowly and became keenly aware of the cold, hard surface he was lying on top of. The stench of exhaust fumes made his head pound. Lifting his arms, he rubbed his face. Some sort of fabric was dangling around him, covering his hands as he pressed them against his skin. The distant sound of air traffic hummed around him. His eyes snapped open. Air traffic? Why was he anywhere with air traffic? Lifting himself up, he blinked and lazily peered around. It appeared as though he was in an alley way. The reflective buildings around him towered so tall that he couldn't see their tops. Blue sky poked between them, laced with streams of what he assumed were speeders. 

Uncertainty bubbled in his chest. The force felt... different. Fuller. There was a lot more light and he felt startlingly less alone. There were hundreds of life forms buzzing all around him. Whatever planet they were on was so saturated with beings that it felt like an infestation. It seemed he was on a city planet of some sorts. Close by, he felt Leia's soft light slowly rousing from her own slumber. Relief washed through him. He wasn't alone in this new place. 

Lifting himself to his feet, he found himself immediately startled. His clothes lay in a messy bundle on the hard, permacrete ground. Only his tunic was still on, dangling all the way down to his knees. Even the sleeves of the cotton fabric hung over the ends of his fingers. He was frozen for a moment, uncertain of what to make of the sight before him. Had he shrunk? Lifting his hands, he realised they were stubby in only the way youth could provide. Not to mention, he had both his biological hands. If Luke were to guess, he would assume he had been deaged. Was that even possible? With the force, he supposed anything was.

A chord of distress thrummed through Luke's connection to Leia. His brows lifted. Perhaps she was in the same predicament he had found himself in. With a sigh, he stooped down and plucked his belt from his mess of clothes. He looped the sturdy material twice around his waist to secure it. Then, he scooped up his glinting lightsaber hilt and clipped it to his belt. 

It was easy to find Leia as she was only around the corner of his alleyway. His bare feet had to carefully tread around the grime and filth that covered the floors and coated the walls. When he came across his sister, his mouth fell open. There was a little girl where she should have been. A blanket of curly hair fell around her shoulders and a white tunic hung limply from her body and down past her knees. She too had wrapped her belt around twice, clipping her own lightsaber to it. "Leia?" he whispered, his voice much higher than he was accustomed to. He padded closer. When she looked up at him, he instantly recognised the warmth in her brown eyes.

"Luke?" she squeaked in fright, the thick Alderaani accent poked through her young childish voice. "What happened to us?" she asked timidly, craning her head down at her small body.

"I don't know," he responded. "Probably the same thing that happened to Vader." He bit down on his lip. This was absurd. In all the Jedi text he had scavenged, none of them mentioned anything remotely like this. "I don't even know where we are," he scratched his chin. Leia's little brows furrowed and she wrapped her arms around herself.

"That stone, the one Vader had, it did this," Leia concluded. That stone had a very strange feeling to it. One he couldn't quite put into words.

"Then we should find him," Luke nodded slowly. Closing his eyes over, he dipped into the force. He became immediately startled. He could feel powerful presences all around that had turned their attention towards him. His eyes widened. It felt like standing at the centre of a ring of hooded monks. Ignoring them, he loosely felt for any sign of darkness. There was feint whispers nearby. Shielding his mind, he turned to Leia, "put your shields up, I can feel a lot of force sensitives nearby." She screwed up her face, but did as he asked.

With Leia trailing behind him, Luke wove through the winding alleyways toward the whispering dark. There were a few scruffy beings huddled together in dank, darkness and some streets were filled with groggy smoke and streams of aliens and people alike. No one seemed to pay the twins much attention. They were all too busy going about their own lives to care about the two scraggly orphans scampering about the under belly of a city. When they reached the source of the darkness, Luke felt his stomach turn over itself. A black lump was lying on the ground at the centre of a long, empty alleyway. The closer he drew to it, the more he realised that it was just an abandoned chest plate. Vader's chest plate.

Luke stalked over to the discarded armour, crouching down and placing a small hand upon it. It lashed out viciously with rage and misery. With a weary sigh, he allowed himself to fall back onto his rear. That suit had been nothing but a tomb for his father, so he supposed he was somewhat glad he had been freed from it. Leia screwed her face up at the armour. The screams of those it saw fall practically permeated out of the armour. A cold chill raced down his spine. "What if he has used the stone to go somewhere else again?" Leia asked, running her hands through her hair. "We'd be stranded here in these bodies!" she pointed to herself frantically. "Not to mention, we don't even know what time we are in." Luke paused. That was right. Vader must have time travelled somehow to their time from the past. That's the only way he could be alive. For all they know, the stone could have sent them to the future as well.

Luke was about to respond when he heard the familiar clanking of armour. The twins shared a panicked look. A small squad of white armoured troopers rounded a corner into the long alleyway. Something about their armour appeared different, but the twins didn't hang around long enough to investigate what. Standing to their feet, they began to walk briskly away. If they ran, it might draw more attention to themselves than they wanted. "Hey, you kids. Stop!" one of the troopers yelled from behind. Luke paused. He was a child, not the icon of the rebels anymore. 

Tugging on Leia's hand, he pulled her to a stop. Through the force, she easily picked up on his intention and nodded her head in agreement. They turned back to face the troopers. A few clustered around the discarded armour and one trotted over to them. There were mumbles as a trooper began talking down a comm. Luke hated the way he had to crane his head up to look at the helmet of the soldier that had approached them. There was something very off about their armour. Something he couldn't quite place. For one, they all had orange colouration on their armour in the form of stripes or shoulder pads. He'd never seen that in the Imperial ranks before. He didn't think it was allowed. "Hey, do either of you two know where that armour came from?" the soldier asked, jutting a thumb over his shoulder.

"No, sorry," Luke dipped his head and innocently scratched at the back of his neck. 

"Do you kno-" the trooper paused, his helmet tilting downwards. "Are those lightsabers?" a hint of suspicion crept into his voice. Luke faltered. Normally troopers had no idea what those looked like. Casting a side eye to his sister, they made a mutual decision. Turning on their heels, they bolted down the alleyway. The trooper started yelling after them and his clattering footsteps chased them over the hard ground.

It infuriated Luke how slow this little body was going. Calling on the force, he sped himself up to a pace he felt he could outrun the trooper. Leia kept up with him with relative ease. The alleyway ahead opened up into a bustling street they could hide within. Their smaller stature would surely make them more difficult to spot in the shifting crowds. Just as they were about to break free, a man in brown robes with neatly slicked back hair stepped into the alley and blocked their exit. Lifting a hand, he motioned for them to stop. The twins didn't even need to look at each other to know the plan. Igniting their own blades, they swiped for his legs in unison. The man let out a little gasp of shock, jumping into the air and allowing the kids to slip past him. Just as he submerged himself in the crowd, Luke glanced back at the man. His face was startlingly familiar. He had the exact same blue eyes as... Ben. It was Ben Kenobi. 

Leia dragged Luke into the crowds and they effortlessly wove their way though small gaps between legs. There was a clamour behind them as the troopers and Ben searched for them desperately. Luke was dazed, his whole body numb. That man had even felt the same, steady as Kenobi was, if a little less weather beaten. He'd looked so young. Leia was right. They had moved in time, but not to the future. They were stuck in the past.


	3. Planning Ahead

Obi-Wan stood at the centre of the Jedi council chambers, his hands folded into his sleeves. Many masters sat in a ring around him, both in holo and real life. The sun was dipping behind the distant skyline, painting the sky orange and red. Just earlier that day, he had been sent out to investigate a strange surge in the force. It was like an explosion that left behind a devastatingly dark hole in the force, followed a little later by two burning twin suns. Soon enough, all three had completely vanished behind thick shielding. 

"So these two children had lightsabers?" Mace's voice was steady as he leaned forwards onto his chair. "Could they be younglings from the temple?" That certainly was a thought Obi-Wan had spent much time pondering. In the end he had come to the steady conclusion it simply couldn't be.

"I don't believe so," Obi-Wan responded, folding his hands into his draping sleeves. "They were not wearing Jedi robes and I did not recognise them.” He pressed his lips together. "They did appear to have some measure of training because they were able to coordinate an escape using their lightsabers."

"Could these children have been the twin suns we felt?" Ki Adi Mundi asked from his seat as he stroked absent mindedly at his chin.

"I am not certain," Obi-Wan responded. "Although they were clearly bright in the force, they were also heavily shielded. Another reason for my belief they have been trained." When no master offered a comment, he continued. "I found the children running away from a trooper who had spotted them by a discarded chest plate," Obi-Wan told them. "The armour was threaded with the dark side like a Sith artefact would be. It felt like it was part of whatever dark thing caused the other disturbance. It must have been left behind or discarded." Indeed, the chestplate had been wrought with misery in the same way the blackhole had been.

"Then perhaps these children were, in-fact, the two light side presences we felt," Master Plo Koon offered, folding his long, talon gripped fingers together. "They could have been searching for their dark counterpart."

"What would two young children have to do with something so malevolent?" Shaak Ti commented, her legs delicately crossed over one another. "Especially when they were both so bright."

"A mystery to unravel," Yoda commented. "A potential threat from separatists, this may be."

"Then perhaps we should devote some time to hunting all three disturbances down," Kit Fisto suggested. If this was a separatist plot, it was deeply concerning they had been able to reach Coruscant so easily. The fact that they were children did little to disprove they were not working for the separatists. The Sith and their allies were ruthless and would exploit any and everyone to achieve their goals.

"We don't have the resources for such an uncertain threat. The majority of our forces are supporting the outer rim sieges," Mace Windu interjected. War had taken a huge toll on the Jedi's flexibility as peace keepers of the galaxy. They were more and more being forced into the roll of soldiers. "The most we can do is inform the Coruscant Child Protective Services and have them take midichlorian counts of all the children who haven't had them performed." Two presences so bright would be certain to have high midichlorian counts indeed.

"Remain watchful for these children, we will," Yoda hummed. "For now, actively hunt them down, we cannot." Just like that, the matter was closed. With a gesture from the grandmaster, Obi-Wan returned to his seat. Although he was still interested in finding the source of these disturbances, he understood all too well they could not afford to take their sights off of the war effort. Not even for an occasion as unique as this.

* * *

Luke and Leia were huddled in a tiny alleyway corner. Inky darkness shone down on them from above. Leia was covered in a fine layer of goosebumps. They were both shivering. Their feet had become mucky with grime. The cold made her bones ache and creak. Hard ground and walls cut into her back and sides. The only warmth she got was from the half of her body that was pressed against Luke's. Traffic wailed in the distance, accompanied by the screeching of horns and the growling of ion engines. There wasn't much life around, aside from the occasional passer by or rodent in the garbage heap further down the alley way. 

It was reassuring, the way the force hummed with warmth, but she could also feel pain and conflict. It was much like the force had felt when the galaxy was dominated by the Empire. Not to mention, everything felt murky and dark. It was hard to navigate through it. Closing her eyes over, she felt herself yearning for Han. In times like these he would say something so unwittingly stupid that it was certain to cheer her right up. She was so grateful she had Luke. Without him, she would have felt beyond lost lost. 

They had managed to conclude they had been sent back in time to the era of the clone war. When exactly, they had no idea. They had however, managed to piece together they were on Coruscant and the reason they could feel so many bright presences in the force was because they were close to the Jedi temple. Leia knew Luke wanted to visit it badly, but it was unsafe. They might be detected or sensed. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she rested her chin atop them. She hated the thought of being stranded in this time forever. Of never finding her way back to Han. "What are we going to do, Luke?" she whispered.

"I don't know," he responded, leaning his head down on her shoulder. "Vader has come to this time for a reason and I have a distinct feeling we can’t let him succeed." Leia nodded. That man, that creature, was never up to any good. No matter what Luke saw in him, Leia knew he was bitter and twisted. He lived to inflict his own misery onto others. One good act after years of being despicable didn't make up for the monstrous things he did. 

"What could he want with the past?” Leia screwed up her face. "He already has domination of the galaxy. Maybe he wants to squash the rebellion before they rise."

"I don't think so," Luke sighed. "His rage felt... personal." Leia peered down at the hand he had severed. Personal indeed. She squeezed her eyes shut as she remembered the searing hot pain. It lingered on her wrist, shooting all the way up her arms.

"Whatever his reasoning is, we need to stop him," Leia sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. "Any wrong move could result in us never being born or the Empire rising even earlier."

"Do you think..." Luke paused. She lifted her head to peer at his furrowed brow. "Could we stop the Empire from rising?" he asked softly. "Could we save father before he fell?" Leia blinked. If they did stop the Empire, then Alderaan would not be destroyed. Her father wouldn't die. So many millions of lives would be saved. She clenched her jaw. How she wished they could. 

"I don't think we should try it," Leia shook her head. "Something much worse than the Empire could rise instead. We might make things better, but we could also make everything worse." She wrapped her arms around her body. "At least we know the galaxy will be liberated eventually if we allow the Empire to form."

"You're right," Luke sighed. "There are too many uncertainties. We should stick with what we know."

"Should we ask the Jedi of this time for help?" Leia pondered our loud. "After all, Sith are their speciality."

"No, that leaves too many chances for us to accidentally mess up the time line," Luke responded. Leia's heart ached for him because she could feel he desperately wanted to meet the Jedi. "We'll need to find a way to hunt down Vader and return him to his own time by ourselves."


	4. Skatty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought it was worth a mention, in this story Vader has not yet saved Luke from the Emperor. He jumped forwards in time, to after the Empires’s fall and dragged the twins back to the past with him. I don’t think I explained that clearly enough, so I though it best to offer a little more clarity. Anyways, enjoy!

Vader was not wasting time relishing the fact that he no longer had any suit or life support. All he could think about, all he could focus on, was maintaining the form of a confident Jedi warrior as he strode through the halls of the senate. It was strange to be back in his Jedi garments, Anakin's Jedi garments, but he only needed them momentarily. Avoiding eye contact, he powered through the mostly empty halls. When he came before the Chancellor's door, he gritted his teeth. The den of the lying snake. Slipping into it, he steeled himself for the conversation ahead and raised his mental shields high. 

The room was large. Huge, arching windows let in streams of brilliant light. The air had a feint, floral musk. Typically sweet and deceptively charming. Scarlet carpet curved around great, stone statues and lead up to a mighty desk at the far side of the office. There, Palpatine sat browsing through a holopad, his face taut with concentration. Vader approached him briskly, his expression set in stone. The Chancellor looked up from his work, his brows shooting upwards when he saw the scowling jedi drawing closer. "Anakin?" his voice hitched. "How are you here? I just received a transmission from you in the outer rim."

Vader stopped before the wide desk, crossing his arms over his chest. "Anakin Skywalker is in the outer rim right now," he responded gruffly. The Chancellor pushed away from his desk, slowly rising to his feet and cocking his head to one side. Trepidation was dominant on his face, but he was still trying to keep his little, fake smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure I follow," he chuckled nervously, placing a few fingers delicately on the top of his desk.

"I am Anakin Skywalker," Vader's nose scrunched at the statement, the words tasting sour on his tongue. "Just not as you know him now, Sidious." Palpatine's jaw clenched shut, his eyes narrowing to slits and his body going ridged. There was a long moment of heavy silence between them.

"Are you insinuating you come from the future?" his nose wrinkled.

"I'm telling you I come from the future," Vader corrected. He forced himself to be mindful of his face because he no longer had a mask to conceal his thoughts and emotions. Not that he ever had any other expression than a frown. "A future in which you are my master." Sidious's lips curled a little at that, making cold rage stir within Vader. It was always with the manipulation.

"That is awfully difficult to believe, don't you think?" Sidious asked gently, stalking around the edge of the desk and tracing his fingertips along the surface. If he wanted more proof, then Vader would provide.

"Order sixty six," Vader responded. Sidious froze in his tracks, his eyes going wide. "Upon its execution, the devices in the clones' brains will activate and turn them against the Jedi." The pair shared unflinching eye contact. "You intend to completely cull the separatists and take control as the Emperor of the grand Galactic Empire." Sidious's lips formed around a word, but Vader continued, "you will have your current apprentice lined up for slaughter by your next."

"You've proved your point," Sidious spoke grimly, his eyes darkening. "Why is it you have sought me out now?"

"When order sixty-six occurs, there is a small band of Jedi that survive for years afterwards. They cause major complications within the Empire and much is lost on the day of its formation," Vader responded coldly and truthfully. His master would surely detect a lie. "I traveled back in time to correct those grievances, but I slightly overshot."

Sidious let out a low hum, scratching at his chin. "What would you have me do?" he asked with intrigue lining his words.

"I can hasten the rise of the Empire and make sure Skywalker falls," Vader responded. "All you would need to do is listen to my advice."

"It is certainly a tempting offer," Sidious purred. Vader narrowed his eyes. What more could his master possibly want? It was too beneficial an offer to turn down. Especially for a power hungry Sith like him. "If I am to trust in you, then I will need an act of good will." Gritting his teeth, Vader cocked a brow. An act of good will? Other than offering him everything he'd ever wanted? "I want the Republic blockade of Rondu to be eliminated long enough to allow Grievous's ship to slip through."

If Vader remembered correctly, it was during this stage in the war that Grievous had mysteriously vanished from the battle field and reappeared not long after. Intervening may cause more mayhem, but it wouldn't be changing history's course too much. Whatever Sidious was plotting would come about wether Vader wanted it to or not. "As you wish," Vader dipped his head, causing a grin to form on the Emperor's lips. Turning, he swiftly left the room and stepped out into the busting corridor. 

Senators buzzed around, gathering in clumps that oozed down the long hallways. Chatter filled the air. Storming through the corridors, he kept his head down. Thoughts of the task ahead filtered through his mind, blurring the surrounding building into streaks of colour he would forget. That was, until he heard a laugh. One that stopped him dead in his tracks and made his whole body go ridged. Warmth blossomed in his chest. Glancing around, he caught sight of her. A woman in formal clothes with her hair delicately pulled up into an intricate head piece. The air wouldn't flow into his lungs. From where he was stood, he could just make out the curving edge of her smile as she spoke to a group of other senators. Vader's whole body went numb. Although he couldn't see much of her, he could tell she was exactly as he remembered her. The ghost that had haunted him for decades had come to life. The melodic lull of her voice twisted his stomach into knots. 

Fighting against the urge to run over to her, he zipped past and down the corridors. A terrible ache gnawed in his chest. It felt like he was cutting out part of his soul, but he couldn't let her near him. Anakin was in the outer rim, so if she saw him here she would definitely know something was amiss. For now, Vader had to keep his identity a secret. If the fate of Anakin became known by others, it would throw a wrench in his plans. Sucking in a deep breath, he clenched a fist to steady the shakes he hadn't even known he was feeling. Seeing her revitalised the sense of purpose in his mind. By the end of this war, Anakin would be the Emperor of the galaxy and the Sith with Padmé by his side and Vader would be free to return to the future he had just carved. Just the thought made his body tingle with anticipation. It would be his. It would all be his.

*

Leia awoke to the feeling of something hitting her foot. Blinking her eyes open, she became all too aware of the cold that had gnawed her to the bone. Hard stone cut into her side. At first, all she could see was the back of her brother's baggy tunic. Pushing herself to sit up, her whole body groaned and ached but nowhere near as badly as she thought it should have. "You're new to the streets, aren't you?" a young, boyish voice made her jolt. Leia peered up towards him, squinting against the intense morning sunlight. Her hand shot out, roughly shaking her brother's side. He woke with a groan, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Definitely new to the streets," the boy concluded when they didn't respond, squatting down to their level.

Leia's gut clenched when she took in the sight of him. Strangely familiar, green eyes stared between the two of them. Choppy, brown hair tumbled around his ears and a cocky grin curled his lips. Luke squinted his bleary eyes at the boy, clearly detecting something familiar within him also. "How long have you been out here?" the boy asked, tilting his head to one side.

"Pardon?" Leia asked politely, collecting her legs beneath her.

"How long have you been sleeping rough?" he pressed again. Luke and Leia traded a glance.

"Just one night," Leia responded suspiciously, rising to her feet. The two boys followed suit and stood with her. Of the three of them, she was smack in the middle of their heights. The boy before her didn't look any older than nine or ten.

"I understand why you’re cautious, but it's not me you need to be worried about," the boy informed them. "I'm Han," he jutted out a palm. Leia drew in a sharp breath. The pieces all clicked together. She understood why this boy was so familiar. It was Han. Her Han. He looked to be the right age and she knew he grew up on the streets. The force whispered to her that this was in fact the man she would grow up to marry. 

The way Luke's eyes widened let her know he'd come to the same conclusion. Unlike her however, he wasn't frozen to the spot. After a moments pause, he grasped Han's hand and gave it a firm shake. "Han," Luke repeated curtly. "Nice to meet you." Han screwed up his face at the pleasantry. It was safe to say some things always remained constant with him. 

"If we shouldn't be cautious of you, then who should we be wary of?" Leia asked, putting all the strength behind her voice she could and shaking herself from her dazed state. Han looked at her like she'd told him something completely preposterous and blatantly untrue. His face twisted in confusion.

"You really are new around here," he mumbled. "You need to watch out for the child catchers."

"The child catchers?" Leia's voice hitched and her brows shot up.

"Yeah. They patrol the underbelly of the city in their fancy, purple speeders grabbing children off the streets and chucking them into the system," her growled, darkness shadowing his face. "I make my business not to stick my nose other kid's business, but I'm assuming you're either orphans or running from something." Luke and Leia traded a glance before nodding. Technically, they were searching for something but getting 'thrown into the system' would be a large hurdle in their plans to hunt down Vader. So, they were running from the child catchers she supposed. "You ever been in the system before?" he pressed. They shook their heads. "Good for you," he said with a tinge of bitterness. "Trust me when I say, you'll want to keep it that way. Especially here on Coruscant."

"What's so terrible about it?" Luke queried.

"The majority of the foster homes are just fronts for children's sweat shops," Han growled, his hands curling into fists. "You are much safer out here on the streets." He gestured around them to accentuate his point. "It's why most of us fled." Leia's stomach twisted. That was truly awful, and from what she read from her history books on the republic ruled Coruscant, more than plausible. At least these children weren't shipped off to the Imperial cadet school. They'd never have been able to escape that hole of misery. 

"Us?" Leia asked tentatively.

"Yeah," Han's face brightened a little. "The whole city is against us street skats, so we have to rely on each other." She couldn't help but notice the glint of pride in his eyes. "If you are going to be sticking around the lower levels, you'd be safest with allies."

"Allies like you?" Luke pushed him to keep talking.

"Absolutely," he grinned cockily. "Why don't you come meet some of my friends," he backed away and beckoned them to follow him. With a glance to each other, the twins followed. They were going to need some way of surviving on the streets and their curiosity about their closest friend's early years got the better of them. What harm could taking a peek into his life do to the future? "What are your names?" he asked as he peered back at them.

"Luke."

"Leia."

"Well, Luke and Leia, welcome to the street life.


	5. Speederjacking

Vader found it suffocatingly nostalgic to be striding through the wide corridors of a republic cruiser. This one in particular was called 'The Vengeance' and its Jedi general, Master Al-Tul, was renown for his skill in battle. A twi'leki warrior of both brilliant mind and skill. The ship was orbiting a planet that was a crucial checkpoint for the Jedis' siege on the outer rim. As he made progress through the ship, the occasional trooper would give him a respectful greeting of 'General Skywalker' and others would simply salute. It was a terrible habit that he was grateful they had not allowed the storm troopers of his time to fall into. Keeping to character, he was forced to give them small greetings in return. Had this been his ship, he would have been tempted just to kill them.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself in the bridge of the ship. Clones milled around and worked diligently in the trenches of the ship's main controls. The twi'leki general was standing beside his clone commander, with their back to Vader, as they stared out of the ship's main viewport and at the brilliant, white planet they saw before them. Huge, grey clouds swirled around its surface, occasionally illuminating with flashes of iridescent light. Striding over to the pair, they ceased their conversation. Both turned to face him.

"General Skywalker," Al-Tul greeted him. "I didn't expect a visit from you. We received no prior warning." His face crinkled with worry. Vader wondered if the man could sense what was about to happen but was simply suppressing the feeling because of Skywalker's impressive reputation.

"That's because there was none," Vader responded coldly. Al-Tul frowned and opened his mouth to respond but never got the chance to utter another word. Vader's crimson blade was imbedded in his chest. The troopers in the bridge momentarily froze, as if not certain how to respond. Pulling out his blade, he sliced through the clone commander.

Chaos ensued. The clones began yelling at each other and several drew blasters and began firing. Vader easily batted away the fire, reflecting the bolts to their originators and steadily mowing through their numbers. "Raise the alarm!" one clone shouted. Another raced to do so, but with a flick of Vader's wrist, he was nothing more than a pile of bones, flesh and armour. 

As pitiful as it was, it took him a matter of clicks to kill them all. He stood at the centre of the bridge, bodies scattered all around him and black marks scorching the ground. He was left the only person breathing.

*

Leia followed Han closely as he slipped through the streets. His rugged, torn clothing allowed him to easily blend in with the crowds. Although he seemed to walk with a confident swagger, there was great caution emitting from him at all times. His eyes were always darting about and scanning every corner and bend. It was behaviour she was accustomed to seeing from him, but it saddened her to see him forced to act like this as even a child.

"Where exactly is it you are taking us?" Luke asked Han gently as they pulled into a quieter alleyway. Grimy walls rose so high above them that they could barely see the top. Rotting garbage was scattered all over the permacrete, giving the air a putrid stench. Flies buzzed from pile to pile.

"I'm supposed to be meeting a friend nearby," Han explained, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I got sidetracked when I saw you, but I guess this'll give you a taster of life with my crew." He turned over his shoulder to smile at them. "Just in case you wanted to join us," he added with a grin. 

They rounded a sharp bend into a narrow, gloomy alleyway. The only occupant was a Rhodian child in clothes just as tattered as Han's. The two kids gave each other a little salute as they approached each other. "You're late," the new kid commented dryly, planting a hand on her hip. As they drew closer, the goggles over her already large eyes made them seem impossibly larger.

"Sorry, Rell," Han responded and jutted a thumb over his shoulder. "I found these two on the streets. It's their first night out here." Rell glanced over at them, eyeing them up and down but making no effort to hide her obvious mistrust. 

"You sure it's a good idea to show newbies our method?" Rell grumbled, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "They could be the catchers' sniffers." Leia wasn't certain what they were being accused of, but from the sound of her tone it was nothing good. In fact, she got the distinct feeling that they were being accused of being plants.

"No sniffer is going to have clothes as well kept as theirs," Han grunted. Leia glanced down at her misfitting tunic. It was a little dirty, but still in relatively good condition. Especially in comparison to the clothes the other street children were wearing. Luke's dark clothing looked to be in even better condition than her own. Self consciousness began warming her cheeks.

"You have a point there," Rell agreed with a sigh. "Perd should be here soon," she cast her eyes up to the sky. As if on cue, a speeder appeared from nowhere and came careening down towards them. The twins were forced to jump to one side as it came to a skidding halt between them. 

"Get a move on," Han shouted to Rell, who pulled a multi tool from within her jacket and slid under the speeder. Han yanked up the hood and pulled out his spanner, setting to work on the vehicles innards. A scrappy, scrawny mirilian boy all but tumbled out of the speeder. "How long do we have?" Han shouted to Perd.

"There isn't much time," Perd replied, dropping to the ground and joining Rell underneath the speeder. "The dogs were hot in pursuit of me." Luke and Leia traded a horrified glance.

"What are you doing?" Leia objected, moving closer to Han's side.

"What does it look like?" Han snapped, yanking a motor out of the vehicle and shoving it into her arms. "Hold that," he grunted and continued his tinkering. Leia did as he asked, but clenched her jaw in outrage. 

"It looks like you are stripping a speeder that you stole," she responded flintily, arching a brow.

"Perd stole it," Han grumbled, his eyes focused on his work. "I'm just stripping it," he sent her another cocky grin and shoved yet another part into her arms. Leia opened her mouth to object again, but Luke put a hand on her shoulder and silenced her. Their eyes met and she felt him whispering through the force that she wouldn't change Han's mind. There was a time and a place for this conversation, but not when the act she defied was being carried out. Letting out a long breath, she nodded and stepped out of Han's reach so he couldn't dump any more parts on her. 

Leia was about to throw the stolen items she had been burdened with to the ground when the sound of oncoming sirens made her hair stand on end. "Dogs are here. We need to go," Han barked. The other two children slid out from under the vehicle. All three of them began fleeing, clutching the parts they had scavenged. The twins followed closely behind, their bare feet slapping against the cold ground. She nearly squawked in fright when she looked back and saw a slender speeder with blue and red lights tearing down the alley after them. Droids were at its helm, yelling warnings.

Keeping her head down, she followed the other children as they tore through the streets. They wove through alleyways and crowds, not stopping for anything or anyone. Leia was surprised by the pace of the children. They were very adept at dodging beneath restriction barriers and clambering all kinds of gates and fencing. She guessed it was probably due to a lot of practice. It was a long and gruelling chase and had come so close that Leia had more than once considered using the force to intervene. Although she knew the stealing was wrong, something within her wouldn't let these kids get arrested. Maybe it was simply because she knew it was Han and she would shift the outer rim nebula for him.

Eventually however, they managed to duck into the safety of an abandoned building. Cracked, dirty walls let in pathetic streams of light. An occasional skeleton of a dead creatures lay in the empty hallways and a damp, musty smell made her nose itch. The kids deposited their loot on the mucky floor of a little room near the top floor. There were tattered blankets and mould covered pillows scattered around. Leia counted at least six little, make-shift beds. Her heart broke for these children. It was unfair they were forced to live like this.

"Alright, Rell, Perd, take stock of the loot," Han spoke to the other children, who automatically did as he asked. The he turned to the twins and gestured for them to follow him. They went through to another empty room. This one had a gaping hole in one wall that showed the city skyline and all the air traffic that formed the circulation of the city. "I'm going to need an answer," he spoke gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you in, or out?"

"You stole," Leia reprimanded him.

"How else are we supposed to survive on these streets?" Han argued, throwing his arms out to the sides. "We are too young to get jobs and even if we tried to, the catchers would just be given our location and we'd have to flee." 

"There has to be another way," Luke interjected quietly. 

"There is no other way," Han growled, narrowing his eyes to venomous slits. "I don't know where you've come from, but you are here now. You have to steal to survive. Having morals will get you killed or enslaved." Leia felt pain squeeze her heart. This was the exact mindset she had worked for so long to rid him of. Blowing out a puff of breath, he scanned them with his eyes. "Come with me," he spoke more quietly and began leading them down through the building. 

After a short walk through the city, he snuck them onto a rooftop with a glass ceiling and pointed down into the depths of the building. Leia's breath caught in her throat. A group of at least twenty children were stuck behind separate work benches, working with all kinds materials and boiling hot liquids. There expressions were blank and their cheeks gaunt. The majority of them had bandages on their hands. She could feel the suffocating miasma of misery that drifted up off of them. Her hand covered her mouth in horror. "This is what you have waiting for you if you get caught," Han warned them. "If you won't steal, then you'll perish. You need to make a choice."

Luke and Leia shared a saddened look. Han seemed to take this as reluctance. "Do you see those three at the back," he pointed to a work bench where a little trio was dipping fabric in dye. Their hands were stained with colour. "Just a few weeks ago, they were out on the streets with us." Hurt flashed across his face. "We tried to sell some parts to a new merchant, but he was a plant. They were captured and thrown in here."

"That's horrible," Leia whispered. The three children looked beaten down and defeated. The force whispered that they longed for freedom, but were resigned to their fates. 

"They could have ended up in places much worse than here," Han spoke, ghosts of the past dancing over his eyes. Leia dreaded to imagine what terrible things the people of the under city might do to children. "I will get them out eventually, and we'll be back in business," he assured himself just as much as them. "It's a matter of time." Standing back from the glass roof, he straightened up to his full height. "What is your choice?" he asked sternly. The twins traded a long look.

"Give us time to think it through," Leia responded. "We'll come to you when we've made up our minds." 

"You know where I'll be," he nodded and slunk away. Luke and Leia stared at each other for a long moment. They had a lot to talk about.


	6. On Call

Anakin stood side by side with Obi-Wan as they stared across a rounded table at the flickering holos of Windu and Yoda. The conference room was dark and the image of a planet was projected atop the surface of the table. "The Rondu checkpoint has been destabilised," Mace Windu explained. Anakin's eyes widened. That was one of the most heavily guarded checkpoints in the whole of the outer rim.

"How is that even possible?" Anakin asked, his brows furrowing. If Master Al-Tul had been under attack he would have called for the nearest reinforcements, who happened to be Anakin and Obi-Wan at that point in time. Mace blew out a long breath and traded a look with Yoda.

"Since the alarm wasn't raised, the running theory is that it was an inside job," Windu responded. Anakin clenched his jaw. Another traitor? It seemed the betrayals were never ending in this blasted war. They couldn't even surprise him anymore. 

"To Rondu, you must go," Yoda informed them with a tilt of his head. "Stabilise the check point and investigate the cause, you should." Nodding, the Jedi traded a look. This might not be an action filled mission they were facing, but it was one of the most important. "Already been vulnerable, for too long, it has. Slipped through, enemy forces could have." Anakin gritted his teeth. It had taken them nearly two years to push the separatists back this far. The last thing they needed was a relapse.

*

Vader pulled himself out of the destroyed escape pod behind him. He'd put on a dark mask and cloak he'd brought with him on this little mission. The flat, dusty rock stretched as far as his eyes could see. The air had a biting chill to it and the dark, night sky was littered with stars. The curving top of a glowing, white planet could be seen just on the horizon. Pulling his hood up, he continued walking in a straight line. The ground crunched beneath his feet. He pulled a cylindrical communicator from his robes and pressed down on it. Within moments, a hooded holo of Palpatine flickered to life above it. "Vader," Sidious greeted him. "I hope your assignment has gone well?"

"The Vengeance has crashed into the surface of Rondu," he responded, his voice was warped and deepened by the mask he wore. "Grievous has a short period of time until the backup Jedi fleets arrive."

"I will ensure he gets through in time," Sidious responded darkly. "Your efforts will not be in vain." Vader narrowed his eyes behind his mask. It seemed his master was still treating him with a dejected kindness. He supposed that was because he hadn't failed Sidious yet. He hadn't been burned within an inch of his life and imprisoned in a life support suit. His potential was boundless and Sidious had no real way to control him. So, he was trying keep them on good terms. That would have worked on Anakin, but Vader wasn't that boy anymore.

"I trust that this means you will be willing to let me aid you?" Vader asked calmly, keeping his pace brisk and steady.

"Only a fool would turn down a partnership such as this," Palpatine responded, his lips curving into a smile. "I'm sure we will both benefit from your contribution to the war." Just like that, he ended the transmission and his holo dissolved into the thin air.

"Yes, I certainly will," Vader growled, stuffing the communicator into his robes. Not even Sidious would be able to stand in his way.

*

Luke and Leia sat atop the roof of the children's sweat shop. The sky was dark above them, dusted with glimmering stars. The city buzzed and hustled around them. The cold air nipped at their toes and turned their cheeks numb. As she stared into the glass with her palms pressed against it, she watched the children working away by flickering glow rods. Their eyes had somehow become even more sunken and their movements shaky and slow. Luke sat next to her and she could feel his heart bleeding out into the force. "I remember there used to be slaves that worked in mos espa," Luke spoke quietly. "They felt just like these children."

"Leia," Luke spoke and she caught her brother's pained eyes. "We can't just leave them in there." 

"We have no idea what the effects of helping them could be," Leia responded, his brows furrowing deeply and his teeth gritted together. Even though she spoke the words, she wasn't wholly convinced of them. "It would be taking a huge risk."

"What difference could a few children make just months before the empire rises?" he protested, swivelling his body to face her. "Even if we don't, Han will do it soon anyway."

"That's another thing," Leia added. "Han grew up on Corellia, not Coruscant, so why is he here?"

"You know what he's like," Luke responded calmly. "He goes whenever he feels like going and does whatever he feels like doing. It doesn't surprise me he didn't spend his whole childhood in just one place." That, she could definitely attest to. She blew out a long breath and stared back down at the children. A man had come through, brandishing a leather belt and yelling. The children were quick to flee the room with their heads down. The lights flicked out, plunging the room below into darkness. "If we are going to survive long enough to find our way to Vader in these bodies, we are going to have to make alliances."

"I know," Leia mumbled, running her hands down her face. "We don't even know if Vader is on Coruscant anymore. He could be anywhere."

"So, we need to find a way to sustain ourselves until then," Luke continued his train of thought. "At least until we have a way of finding Vader." Leia nodded glumly. "What better way to stay out of the way of the Jedi and the public than to become street kids." Then, he pointed down towards the space the children they had been watching were in. "We should join with Han. If he gets caught trying to break out these children, that's our best cover lost. It's in our benefit to help out these children."

"That's a bit of a stretch in logic," she chuckled, "but alright." Luke's face lit up like a child on its anniversary. A comparison made startlingly true because of his youthful face.

"Well then," Luke stood up and dusted his clothing off. "We'd better find a way in."

Just like that, the twins scouted out the rickety, worn down building. Finding a rusted, shoddy door that looked out onto a mucky alleyway, Luke used the force to tamper with the lock and open up the doors. They slipped into the musty, dim interior of the building. The inside was primarily clean and a lot tidier than the outside. The air was so hot, Leia half expected her blood to begin boiling on entry. They kept themselves low to the ground as they snuck through the building. Yellowed lights shone down from the ceiling and the air reeked of chemical waste. Although it was nowhere near a nice place to live, it was more comfortable than the abandoned building Han stayed in. 

Snooping through the rooms, they eventually found where all the children were being kept. Poking their heads through an open doorway, they saw a wide hall that had rickety, small beds scattered all over it. Children were lying in them on their sides. Their sheets were tatty and stained. A man with a baton strapped to his belt was leaning over the bed of a child on the other side of the room. He got up with a grumble, sneered at the children and came walking back towards the doorway the twins were behind. Slinking into the shadows, they pressed themselves into the corners of the corridor. 

The man went powering past them, his boots thumping against the wooden floor. They slipped into the room after he had vanished down the corridor. One of the children spotted them and sat up in his bed. He frowned and began whispering to those closest to him. The whispers spread like wildfire across the room. Before long, all of the children were sitting up in their beds and warily eyeing the twins.

"If you want to get out of here, come with us," Leia whisper-shouted to the children. Their eyes widened and they began speaking to each other in hushed tones once more.

"We can't leave," the first boy that noticed them spoke quietly, lifting his wrist to display the cuff that kept him chained to his bed. Leia gritted her teeth. She had half a mind to go and smack the man she'd seen running this place around the head with her lightsaber. Her ignited lightsaber. 

"We can handle that," Luke spoke calmly, drawing his lightsaber. For a moment, Leia thought Luke had read her thoughts, but instead he began cutting through the chains. The kids gasped in awe, some cowered in terror. Drawing her own saber, she began cutting a few of the children loose.

"Are you Jedi?" a child whispered as Leia neared. Leia had to pause. She was so used to nobody remembering what the Jedi and lightsabers were that it startled her to realise they had once been prominent and easily recognised by nearly every being in the galaxy.

"No," Leia shook her head. "We're just friendly faces." Their girls posture seemed to loosen off at that and warmth blossomed on her features. 

"Thank goodness," she sighed. As much as Leia wanted to stop and question the girl on her dislike of the Jedi, she needed to keep freeing children. The quicker they got out of this prison, the less chance they had of getting caught. When they were all free, they led the herd of children through the building to the backdoor they had left open. They stood by either side of the entrance as the kids filtered past them, out into the open air of the streets. The twins whispered the location of Han's den to some and told them to spread it around for anyone who needed somewhere to go. Considering the terror on their faces, that was all of them.

"Don’t move another step!" A voice boomed from the opposite end of the hallway. Luke and Leia traded a panicked glance as a large man came barrelling towards them. 

"RUN!" Leia yelled. The twins ushered the remaining children out the door as fast as they could but the man was incoming with the fury of a poked rancor. The twins followed the children out into the darkness of the alleyway, but didn't have enough time to build up speed before the man caught up. He threw himself at them, dragging them down to the ground by their belts. Leia kicked violently at his head.

"You skats have lost me my profit," the man roared, keeping them pinned down. Luke lifted a hand and with a powerful thrust sent the man flying off of them. Just like that, the twins scampered to their feet and raced off into the darkness of the under city.


	7. Sardon

Anakin gritted his teeth as he leaned against the biting winds of Rondu. Snow covered the barren, icy landscape. The only break from the white blanket was the gouge in the ground where The Vengeance had crashed straight into its surface. Chunks of metal were scattered all over the place and the skeletal innards of the ship were pouring out of the gaping holes in the sides of the ship. Shivering, he bundled his thick jacket tighter around himself. The tip of his nose had gone completely numb.

Beside him, Obi-Wan stood with his arms crossed over his chest and his expression grimly stoic. A little droid popped out of the wreckage, waving them a fragile arm. The Jedi immediately made their way towards it and slipped into the relative shelter of the fallen cruiser. The floors were all slanted at an angle and stray scraps of machinery made it difficult to weave through the mess, but they were freed of the cutting wind. 

"Good evening, master Jedi," the little droid greeted them. 

"Good evening," Obi-Wan responded. "Can you point us in the direction of the forensic droid in charge of the investigation?"

"That would be me!" the droid bleeped.

"Could you tell us what you've found," Anakin prompted it.

"Of course I can," the droid cheered happily, lifting its arms in delight. Anakin had stop himself groaning at the little machine's chipper attitude. It began rolling through the damaged hallways, practically bouncing as it went. "The evidence collected so far suggests that this was done by a member of the order itself." Anakin and Obi-Wan traded a dark look. "There was no recordings of an intruder, but a shuttle boarded using Jedi codes. Specifically your codes, Knight Skywalker." Anakin's head drew back and his nose scrunched. Someone was out there using his codes? When he found them, he'd be sure to let them know exactly how he felt about identity theft. "Don't worry, we've already ruled you out because there are records of you in battle over Rebol at the time this event took place."

"How could someone have gotten my codes? I don't just hand them out," Anakin grumbled.

"A variety of ways, for those with the means," the droid warbled. "We also discovered the crew on the bridge had all been cut down by a lightsaber."

"Perhaps a Sith could have stolen Anakin's codes and boarded the ship," Obi-Wan interjected. "It doesn't necessarily mean that a Jedi did this." 

"Whoever it was must have been a friendly face," the droid argued. "If they weren't, the alarm would have been raised the moment they entered the bridge. This person had time to get close before they started killing." Obi-Wan let out a low hum, scratching his chin.

"Do you have any idea if they went down with the ship?" Anakin asked, crossing his arms.

"An escape pod was released just before the ship entered the upper atmosphere," the droid tootled. "We estimated its trajectory and believe it crashed on the second moon. That could have the enigma within it." Anakin and Obi-Wan traded a look. 

"I guess that's where we are heading next," Obi-Wan chirped with false cheer.

*

When Luke and Leia returned to Han's hide out, they could hear the sound of children cheering from the floor below. Smiling to each other, they crept up towards the entrance to the hideout. Moonlight seeped in through the cracks in the walls and illuminated the smiling faces of the children that were locking each other in tight embraces and squealing in delight. Han was standing off to one corner, observing them with bright and glittering eyes. A wry grin twisted his lips. As he scanned the rejoicing children, he caught sight of them. Shaking his head, he came sauntering over and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"So I take it this means you are joining us then," he chuckled, leaning against the doorframe.

"I guess it does," Leia smiled.

"You've whipped the other kids into quite a tizz," he nodded over his shoulder to the crowd of children. "They claim you are Jedi. Super powerful. Heroes." His eyes flicked between them, his face suddenly becoming somber. "Although I make it my business not to care about everyone else's business, if you are Jedi on the run, you need to be careful."

"Why is that?" Luke asked, tilting his head to one side.

"I just don't think the Jedi would appreciate two of their past members running around with a gang of kids and tarnishing their name," Han responded dryly. The twins traded a look. That's exactly what they wanted to avoid. The last thing they needed was to be hunted down by the Jedi. 

"We aren't Jedi," Leia clarified, "and we would really appreciate it if the rumour we are is silenced before it reaches the ears of someone who might do something about it."

"I'll do my best," Han nodded. Blinking he stared down at their belts. "I thought the other kids said you had lightsabers, but you don't have any." Leia immediately stared down at her belt. Her hands ran around it's circumference and her heart plummeted into her gut. From the pale look on her brother's face, she knew his had vanished too.

"Luke, our lightsabers," her voice lifted in alarm.

"We lost them," he cursed, grabbing handfuls of his hair. "We'll need them to get to Vader." She felt him begin to tremble with anxiety and fear. 

"It must have been the man that grabbed us when we were breaking the kids loose," Leia realised with startle, her expression suddenly hardening. That man was fast climbing the list of people she hated. Ironically, a list that Vader currently topped.

"We need to go back for them," Luke huffed, already shifting to move down the corridor.

"Wait," Han called, lifting himself out of the doorway. They turned to look at him. "Let me come with you," he spoke steadily.

"It's alright, this will be a simple pick up for us," Leia responded. Both twins began walking down the scabby hallway towards the doorway that led down through the building.

"Look, I clearly know the city better than you," Han argued, jogging to catch up with them. "I also happen to have a lot of contacts throughout the district. I'll be a good asset." Leia had to pause to ponder Han's willingness to cooperate. It must have been the first time he'd offered his services and she hadn't had to drag him along with her. When the twins didn't reply instantly. "Lightsabers are highly sought after. I wouldn't be surprised if they've already been sold," he added. Leia felt her heart squeezing in pain. The thought of someone selling off her blade like it meant nothing wounded her deeply.

"If that's the case, then we'll have to track them down," Leia grumbled.

"Exactly. That'll be much easier if you have someone with street-smarts on your team," Han chuffed, pressing his hands against his chest. "I'll be like your guide."

"Why are you so adamant about helping us?" Leia asked, cocking a brow and planting a hand on her hip.

"I don't like being indebted to people," he responded. Her brows furrowed. "You saved those kids for me. I owe you one. Let me pay up now." Leia nearly rolled her eyes.

"We saved those kids charge free," Luke responded calmly. "You don't need to worry about repaying us." Han pressed his lips into a thin line of protest. "If you really must help us, I don't see what harm your additional information could do," he smiled kindly.

"Well then, I guess that makes us a golden trio," Han chirped happily to himself. This time, Leia rolled her eyes. Once a sardonic smuggler, always a sardonic smuggler.


	8. Moonfight

Anakin accelerated his speeder bike fast over the surface of the second moon of Rondu. Clouds of dust were blown up behind him in huge plumes that crept up towards the dark, star speckled sky. Obi-Wan was racing along beside him. The wind whipped against their faces. Their eyes tracked a deep set of foot prints. The only set they had found when they were investigating the escape pod that crashed into the barren landscape. It's one inhabitant, and most likely their traitor, was attempting to flee. Gritting his teeth, he felt rage brewing up within him as he powered along. A lot of good men had died in The Vengeance. Good men that died because some scum had stolen Anakin's codes to use them to kill hundreds. He was taking deep breaths to calm the murderous rage that rose within him. Revenge wasn't the Jedi way.

After a few hours of travel, the footsteps finally arrived at what appeared to be an outpost for refuelling. A few people were milling about the shipyard and dipping into the blocky building that no doubt sold ship parts and other necessities for long distance travel. Docking his speeder bike, he jumped off of it and scanned the surrounding area. The nipping odour of fuel made his eyes water. Creatures of all species were going about their daily business. The force roiled with coldness. There was something dark lurking in the shadows. The two Jedi caught each other's eyes. "Do you feel that?" Obi-Wan murmured as he stepped down from his speeder bike.

"I do," Anakin growled. The pair walked to the centre of the fuel point. Anakin's hands were flexing as he carefully observed the area. Suddenly, he felt the coldness shift its attention towards him. His gaze fixated on the dark shadow beneath a distant ship. His figure went ridged as a cloaked figure with a blank mask crept out of it. Anger whipped around this stranger's mind. Long tendrils of the darkside lashed out at the Jedi. "I guess we found our enemy," Anakin spoke lowly as he drew his lightsaber.

"Indeed we have," Obi-Wan agreed, drawing his own. They ignited the blades in a flash of blue light. There were startled gasps around them and the civilians scampered away. Pacing towards them, the hooded creature drew his lightsaber and ignited the scarlet blade. Red light reflected harshly from his glossy mask.

Their opponent waster no time on words. He leapt forwards and began to hack at their defences mercilessly. Anakin was surprised by the power behind each blow. Although their attacker seemed to lumber around, he was precise and deadly accurate with each strike. His speed was terrifying too. Screams of panic erupted around them and the beings all fled to their respective vehicles. 

The masked man kept after them relentlessly. Where Anakin and Obi-Wan were like two connected cogs, their opponent was the spanner in the works. He expertly cut through their defensive manoeuvres and with a single slice of his saber was able to lop Anakin's robotic arm clean off. Staggering back a few steps in surprise, Anakin summoned his lightsaber to his remaining hand and ignited it. 

The masked man used the force to throw Obi-Wan back against a speeder, knocking him unconscious. He crumbled to the ground in a heap, his limbs splayed out in all different angles. Gritting his teeth, Anakin let out a roar of anger and lunged for the masked monster. The Sith managed to fend off his weakened, one armed attacks like it was child's play. Summoning a rafter from a nearby ship, the masked man plunged it deep into Anakin's shoulder. Letting out a cry of pain, the Jedi dropped to his knees as the metal grated against his bone. 

"Pathetic," the Sith hissed, pacing over to Obi-Wan's fallen form and lifting his arms high above his head to strike a final blow.

"No!" Anakin cried out, panic welling up within him and creating a powerful blast of force power that knocked their opponent back several steps from Obi-Wan. Leaping to his feet, Anakin used his one good arm to grab his master by the belt and drape him over a speeder seat. His shoulder screamed at him the whole way. Clambering into the driver's seat, they powered quickly over the arid landscape and left the Sith in their dust. 

Blowing out a long breath of relief, Anakin thanked the force he'd made it in time to stop Obi-Wan from getting killed. It was quickly followed by a wave of anger. That Sith had been scarily powerful. Now they were safe, pain in his shoulder really kicked in. Every breath and minor movement felt like he was being stabbed all over again. The metal was heavy, dragging his wound down and making it ache. He skidded the speeder to a halt a good distance away. He wasn't going to make it back to their ship. He needed to call for help.

*

The last place Leia wanted to return to was the sweatshop, but there was no other choice. She slunk through the shadows with Luke and Han creeping behind her. The air was much colder, the stench of chemical gone. The only sound was their light breaths and gentle footsteps. Before long, they stumbled across a little office room where a bed was shoved into the corner. It's sheets were ratty and stained, but the bed itself was in far better condition than the ones the children had been sleeping in. Sitting atop it was a rounded man with a scrappy beard and large scars running down one side of his face. Leia's stomach filled with flaming rage at the sight of him. Casting her eyes to Luke, she nodded firmly. The man seemed to be counting the credits in a leather pouch.

The twins stepped into the room. Han remained in the darkness, his eyes widening as he watched them. The man lifted his head towards them. "You," he growled rising to his feet and sending them a menacing glare.

Straightening up, she raised her chin and crossed her arms firmly over her chest. "What did you do with our lightsabers?" she demanded. The man stared at her for a moment, a glimmer of irritation shining in his eyes. Rising to his full height, he towered over them.

"I wants to know how scrawny skats like you ended up with them Jedi weapons," the man growled with a heavily accented voice, narrowing his eyes into tiny slits. "No way is them Jedi letting their own kids run around the streets. They think themselves to important for mingling with the common folk." There is was again. The outright distaste the majority of citizens she had bumped into had for the Jedi. It was a far cry from the whimsical tales Luke had told her.

"Do you have our lightsabers?" Luke pressed, holding his ground and his head up high.

"Like kriff I'm telling you," the man growled, whipping out a blaster. "You kids are gonna get it for what you've done to me workshop." Is that what he was calling it? A workshop? Ire rose steadily within her.

"Whoah there Max," Han pulled himself from the shadows and slipped in front of the twins with his hands raised. "I wouldn't harm a hair on their heads if I were you." Leia noted the way his accent shifted to become more rugged to match Max's.

"I shoulda known you was behind this," Max snapped, shifting his weight from foot to foot. His hand was still raised, his finger curled around the trigger. "Just cause its you, I'm gonna put a slug in both of em."

"I would advise against that," Han pressed. "For your own good."

"An why's that?" he snapped, bearing his teeth like a wild animal.

"Because you were wrong," Han spoke smugly. "They are Jedi. Younglings were sent to shut down your operation for their first trial." The man's face paled a little and his lips pressed into a thin line. Leia was confused, but she prevented it from showing on her face. She knew Han was up to something, but what exactly, she had no idea.

"You is lyin'," Max growled, grinding his teeth and staring into all the shadows.

"I'm not," Han responded, crossing his arms. As if on cue, Luke reached out with the force to pull the blaster from the man's hands, put on the safety and throw it to one side. Han's eyes widened a fraction, but he quickly reeled himself in. Max, on the other hand, staggered back a few steps in terror. His eyes went wide and his jaw hung agape.

"You is Jedi," Max murmured in total horror.

"Yes, and you know how protective the Jedi are of their young," Han spoke firmly. "You’re lucky a knight hasn't appeared to drag you into prison yet. Give the kids their lightsabers, or you will face the wrath of the Jedi."

"I don't haves them anymore," the man blurted, beads of sweat dotting his bald head. "I already done sold them." Luke and Leia traded a wide eyed look. Panic rose within her. Those blades were from the future. Goodness knows how history would change if they didn't get them back.

"Who has them now," Leia hissed, taking a threatening step towards him. He shuffled away from her. So he was even afraid of Jedi younglings? That was certainly something of note. Perhaps the twins weren't as powerless as they thought.

"A black market dealer on the 212th layer," he responded instantly. "He runs a pawn shop called Weathered Wares."

"I know where that is," Han sighed, turning to the twins. "Let's leave this scum here." The twins nodded and followed him out of the room. The moment they were back out on the streets, he turned to them with wide eyes. "We totally had him fooled," his voice hitched, his accent shifting back to normal.

"You did most of the work," Luke praised him.

"We might not of pulled it off without that fancy Jedi trick though," Han laughed, stretching his arms up into the air. Luke sent Leia a knowing grin. "So, is it time to fetch your weapons or what?"

"Kriff, yes," Leia laughed.


	9. Retreival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should clarify, Vader in this is from not long after his fight with Luke on bespin. Luke and Leia are from a while after the empire fell. Vader time travelled forwards and them back. It’s confusing, I know. I’ve had a few questions so I thought it best to just to add a little more information.

Anakin lay flat on his back, staring up at the cream ceiling above him. The bed he lay on pressed up against his skin. Soft blankets lay over him and the air contained light traces of antiseptic. The room was small, primarily taken up by the two thin beds, one of which was occupied by Obi-Wan. Time seemed to crawl by aimlessly. The machines they had been connected to gave out steady beeps. He blinked hard, trying to clear the fuzz from his head. Whatever painkillers he was on were dazing him. After being rescued from Rondu's first moon, they had been promptly shipped back to Coruscant to recover from their injuries. 

Although Anakin wasn't happy to have been removed from action so quickly, he was delighted to have returned home to someone in particular. He wanted to be discharged from the temple's medical bay before he got sent out on duty so that he could at least visit her once. Just once. Though he knew in his heart, with the sieges going on, that was going to be a very slim chance.

The memory of the masked Sith they fought was still fresh in his mind. The scarlet saber, the cold aura, the murderous intent. It was haunting, but it boiled his blood. "Obi-Wan," Anakin murmured tilting his head to look at his former master. The other Jedi glanced over at him steadily. "That Sith was..." he trailed off, his brows furrowing.

"Powerful?" Obi-Wan supplemented.

"An abomination," Anakin's nose wrinkled. Obi-Wan’s brows furrowed. "I don't understand how someone that powerful could have just appeared from nowhere." Blowing out a long breath, he glared up at the ceiling above himself. "Could he have been the Sith master?"

"It is a possibility," Obi-Wan responded calmly. "The Vengeance was a key part of the barricades. Perhaps he thought it vital to take it down himself." Anakin blew out a hum of stress. "I think this is a topic to discuss with the council," Obi-Wan added. That irked Anakin. Of course it was a matter for the council. They liked keeping their secrets close to their chests. They couldn't have the rest of the order finding out what they were really up to.

*

Vader was cruising through hyperspace, leaning back into the pilot seat and staring out at the swirling blue vortex before him. The cockpit of his ship was small and constricting, but he felt just as at home behind the ship's controls as he did in any other. The engine purred, vibrating through the floor and chairs. His mind was fixating on Anakin and Obi-Wan after their encounter on Rondu's first moon. His blood was still boiling, fizzing away in his veins. Weak. They'd been so weak. Anakin especially. Just a child. A child that didn't know the man fighting beside him, the man he'd saved, would one day soon cut him down and leave him to burn. His hand gripped the arm of his seat so hard his mechanical limb squealed. 

Closing his eyes over, he took a few steady breaths to calm himself. Getting angry now and destroying his surroundings would do him no good. Instead, he silently swore to himself that the next time he ran into the pair, he would slaughter Obi-Wan and show Anakin the meaning of true power. The power of the dark side.

A bleep from his console, followed by a flashing light, informed him he had an incoming transmission. Pressing a circular button, a holo of Sidious's face was projected before him. Tiny lines crinkled his brow and his eyes were slightly narrowed. Vader had been his apprentice long enough to know that meant he was furious. "What is thy bidding, my Emperor?" Vader asked in a blank voice. 

"I just received word that both Skywalker and Kenobi were sent back to Coruscant after being gravely injured on a Rondunian moon," Sidious spoke sharply, his eyes narrowing. Vader gritted his teeth. He could have guessed what this was about.

"I was forced to take action against them when they found me on the moon," Vader responded.

"Need I remind you, if you kill Anakin, you die too," Sidious responded coldly. Vader had to fight to keep his expression neutral. Of course he knew that. He could have killed the boy but he'd chosen not to. "It's too early for Obi-Wan to die yet. He's still needed for the republic's war effort." Vader gritted his teeth, hating that even his master from this time could still make him feel so small.

"They are not dead," Vader responded coldly.

"But they are needed in the front," Sidious argued vehemently. Vader paused, thinking his response through. He needed Sidious to trust him if he was going to keep Padmé from dying. 

"I'll stay away from them, if that's what you'd prefer," Vader apologised.

"Yes," Sidious grumbled. "I have need of you elsewhere in the galaxy." Vader clenched his jaw. He hadn't signed up to be his master's dog all over again. Still, he needed to obey for now. At least until the time was right.

*

The shop Han lead the twins to was more like a huge warehouse that was tucked away in a back alley in one of the lower levels of coruscant. A little service station was cut into one side of the building. It was a counter with doors behind it that lead into the warehouse. Leia though it looked like a dingy fast food place. Except it was for black-market dealings, of course. The only light was a yellowed one from above. Sauntering over, Han poked his head over the top of the counter. He moved to jump over it. Luke grabbed the back of his clothing and yanked him back down. "What are you doing?" Luke whispered aggressively.

"I'm going to go in there and steal back your light swords, or whatever they are called," Han scrunched his face up.

"No, we should give the pawn broker a chance to return them himself," Luke argued.

"Return the-" Han shook his head. "No pawn broker in his right mind will give you an item for free. Especially one as coveted as a lightsaber."

"I think you'll find, I might be able to convince him," Luke assured Han softly. Han pulled a face of disbelief and threw his hands out to the side in exasperation. None the less, he gestured for him to continue. Smiling, Luke went up to the counter and tapped the bell for attention. A few moments of heavy silence fell before the door to the warehouse slid open. Lumbering out, came a heavy twi'leki. He leaned down on the counter top and narrowed his eyes at them. "What do you want kid?" he spoke gruffly.

"You were recently traded two lightsabers that were stolen from us," Luke explained. The man's blank expression did not shift or change. "You want to give them back to us." He waved a hand in front of the twi'leki's face. 

"No I don't," the man grunted in response. His jaw clenched. "You jedi think you can make us folk of the lower levels do whatever you want with them fancy mind tricks, but I ain't cracking." His eyes narrowed to slits. Leia pressed her lips into a thin line. Once again, it was startling to see someone who clearly knew the techniques of the Jedi. "Now scram, you dirty skats," he spat. 

Leia straightened up, preparing to give the man a piece of her mind, but Han grabbed both her and Luke's collars and began dragging them away. Gritting her teeth, she turned and followed him as he led them away from the Twi'leki. The large man returned into the warehouse the moment they were out of sight. Her blood boiled. Although she was technically a street skat, she was also a princess and the leader of the rebellion. If she'd been an adult that man wouldn't have known what was coming his way. Pulling them around the corner of the building into a thin alleyway, Han glanced around cautiously. "As I said, if we are getting your weapons back, we need to steal them."

"Alright," Leia nodded. "We need to find a way in then."

"I've already found one," Han smiled smugly, pointing up to a vent that was cut into the wall. It was at least double Leia's height above them and looked incredibly narrow. Glancing down at her body, she realised there were some perks to being small again. "I think I should boos-" Luke used the force to gently pull the covering off the vent and Han let out a deep sigh. Crouching low to the ground, Leia used the force to power her body as she leapt up into the air and smoothly swung herself into the vent.

It was tiny and musky steam rushed over her, making her nose tickle and her eyes water. The vent seemed to stretch far into the darkness ahead of her. She pushed herself further in, shifting herself to her hands and knees. The metal was hot against her cold skin. Luke jumped up into the vent behind her, landing with a soft pat. Next came Han, who used the wall to propel himself up and grabbed Luke's arm to get dragged into the vent . "You two are more athletic than you look," Han grumbled, making Leia smile. "Then again, you used your Jedi powers so it doesn't count," he added bitterly. At that, she rolled her eyes.

Leia began crawling forwards, easily slipping through the dark vents. The boys crawled behind her. Their movements were gentle and slow. The rushing noise of the air drowned out the pattering of their movements. After a short while, she came across a grating that peered down into the depths of the warehouse. The vents had them high up in the air, overlooking the whole building. Her breath caught in her throat. Huge shelving units were organised in militant rows with lots of boxy safes ordered side by side. Huge battle droids lined the walls and a few of the little ones were patrolling the area in pairs. They seemed just as dormant as the ones Leia had found in her own time. Crawling over it the grating, she shimmied around and gave space for Luke and Han to peer in. "How are we going to find our lightsabers in here?" her voice hitched.

"He must have a way of keeping track of all this himself," Luke hummed. "He probably has a record book. I recon if we find that, it'll tell us where our lightsabers have been stashed." 

"I can see an office over there," Han whispered, pointing down through the slitted gaps. "That'll be our best bet." Nodding, Leia pried up the grating and gently set it down behind her. "What are you doing?" Han hissed, his brows furrowing. "If you jump down from this height you'll die."

"We'll be fine," Leia assured him, moving closer to the open hole.

"Jump down after us and we'll catch you," Luke told him. Han's mouth fell open, but before he could protest, Leia slipped out of the vents and into the maze of shelving units. Coiling the force around her, she landed with the impact of a feather. Luke dropped down behind her, landing just as lightly. Peering up at Han, who was little more than a pale blotch peering out of a dark hole in chunky vents above. His presence was buzzing with irritation and angst. She could almost imagine the deep scowl on his face. Still, he hesitantly lowered himself through the hole in the grating and let himself fall towards them. Lifting their hands up, the twins easily caught him with the force and gently set him down. He looked a little dazed, but otherwise alright.

Now that they were on ground level, Leia was astonished by the height of the shelving units. They towered over her. Each and every one of the safes had a glowing number and a keypad. The air smelled faintly of oil. Once again, Leia set out. Slinking through the maze, she stopped when she reached a large room that protruded from the side of the warehouse. It had large, transparisteel windows that allowed them to catch sigh of the rounded twi'lek that sat behind a huge desk covered in papers.

Creeping closer, they crouched beneath one of the windows. "How are we going to get him out of there?" Han grumbled. Glancing over at the dormant line of droids nearby, an idea dawned within Leia. Luke gave her a nod of approval. Reaching out with the force, she tampered with the droids easily. Their lights flickered on and a few of them let out strained beeps. It took a matter of moments before they began lumbering around. Their footsteps echoed around the whole warehouse.

A few smaller, B1 battle droids came racing over with blasters at the ready. "Hey, you aren't supposed to be awake!" one of them yelled. 

"Traitor," a larger droid responded, shooting the head clean off the B1 with a deafening bang.

The twi-Lek came racing out of the office. "What's going on here?" he yelled, only to be instantly fired at. He dodged into the maze. Leia led the charge and ducked into the office, the boys quickly following her.

"Keep watch," Leia instructed Han. He nodded, and peeked out the window by the door. The twins hurried over to the desk. Luke immediately began filing through the holopads on the desk and Leia scoured the holopads in the drawers. The longer she looked, the more she felt her heart rate speeding up. "Where is it," she grumbled.

"Stay calm," Luke told her. She rolled her eyes. Every moment with him was somehow a teaching moment. Just as she was about to complain, she found something that made her suck in a deep breath. Registered on one of the holopads was an entry for a blue and a green lightsaber. Quickly noting the safe number and its pin, she slammed the holo down.

"Got it," she cheered, rising to her feet and racing over to the doors. The moment they stepped back out into the warehouse, her jaw fell open. Somehow, all of the droids had activated and turned the whole building into a battleground. Blaster bolts were flying everywhere and scrap metal littered the ground. Dodging the mayhem, Leia led them to the correct safe and began punching in the pin.

"Droid!" Han called, pointing to a huge droid with a raised blaster that was racing towards them. 

Luke swivelled on his feet. Using the force, he gripped the droid and tore it limb from limb. Sparking bits of scrap metal went flying all over the place with a deafening bang. More droids came pouring into the hallway. The safe popped open, revealing two familiar sabres within. Grabbing them, she tossed Luke his just in time for the first barrage of blasterfire to hit. The twins ignited their blades in a flash of light and expertly defended themselves from attack. Using Leia as a defence, Luke threw his lightsaber in a large arch that cut down several droids. The weapon easily landed back in his palm.

"More droids," Han called. Behind them, more of the machines were racing towards them. The twins took either side of Han and expertly reflected all of the intense blaster bolts firing close to them.

"We need to find an escape," Leia shouted over the noise. Had it not been for Han, they could have easily mowed one down but he had no way to defend himself. Her eyes caught sight of a blaster discarded on the floor. Summoning it to her hand, she shoved it at Han. That would do.

"Let's run," Luke called. They raced in the direction of the exit. Leia took the front, cutting a pathway through the droids and moving with great agility. Her nimble nature allowed her to easily bounce around them and tear them down. Luke stayed close to Han, destroying any threat that came too near. As they approached the door, the large twi'leki man abruptly stepped in front of it.

"You three," he growled. Glancing back at the stampede of droids chasing them, Luke used a force push to knock them all back. It gave Leia a long enough time to utilise the force to open the door behind the man and roughly shove him through it. All three children raced out after him and zipped through the streets, leaving the mayhem far behind them. Han let out a whooping cheer and rose his arms high above his head in victory. Leia laughed at his antics, relief coursing through her to finally have her weapon back. Now they had only one objective: Vader.


	10. Assignment

It had been a while since Anakin had been forced to physically stand at the centre of the council chambers, but his distaste for it hadn't faded any less. The Jedi masters sat in a ring around both him and Obi-Wan. The majority of them were flickering holos. Sunlight poured in through the arching windows of the room. Although it couldn't been seen by those around him, tight bandages were wound around his upper arm and shoulder. Obi-Wan also had bandages, but his were wrapped around his head. "So you are telling us that yet another Sith has appeared on the battle field?" Mace asked, sitting forwards and leaning his elbows down onto his knees.

"Unfortunately, yes," Obi-Wan responded. "One of great power too. He managed to incapacitate us in a matter of clicks." Anakin gritted his teeth, trying to smother his wounded pride. Part of him desperately wished he had been able to put up a better fight against the Sith, but he had been both underprepared and out matched.

"Could he have been Darth Sidious?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked, his wrinkled eyes scanning them.

"It's possible," Obi-Wan responded calmly. "I picked up the same dark rage on him that was caused by the disturbance here on Coruscant." Anakin's brows lifted. Just a few days earlier he'd felt a darkness flicker to life far from the outer rim sieges. To think it had happened on Coruscant made his blood run cold. 

"Concerning, this is," Yoda hummed, scratching his chin. "Until more evidence we have, jump to a conclusion we should not." Anakin thought it was a pretty logical conclusion to jump to, considering only two Sith could ever exist at once, but what did he know? He wasn't on the council and he wasn't a jedi master. 

"We need to keep our attention focused on the war effort," Mace agreed. "If it was Sidious you fought, he will have crawled back into hiding. We won't find him now." Anakin hated how true that statement was. If only he'd been stronger, he might have been able to put a stop to this blasted war. As always, the Sith had won.

"Staying on Coruscant, you will be, until healed, you are," Yoda told them. Anakin nodded. He was torn between his duty to return to the front and his desire to return to Padmé. "Until then, another mission you will uptake." Anakin lifted his brows. An assignment on Coruscant? Those were very few and far between these days.

"One of the pawn shops in the 212th level became overrun with separatist battle droids just a day ago," Mace began. "It was discovered that the owner was secretly running blackmarket deals and selling the droids." Anakin's eyes narrowed. What could someone want with those monstrosities? They were better off being melted down and reused, he thought. "It turned out to be three children that set the droids off."

"You want us to scold children?" Anakin asked incredulously.

"No," Mace replied sharply. "Watch this." As he said that, a blue holo appeared before the Jedi. It was children, two boys and a girl. They were breaking into a safe. Once again, Anakin's eyes narrowed. It wasn't rare for children to steal in the lower levels of Coruscant. He was failing to see how this was relevant to the Jedi. Still, he decided to withhold judgement until the end of the holo.

A hulking, B2 battle droid came charging towards them. Anakin's heart sank, thinking it would surely be their end. One of the children swivelled, threw out his hands and made a motion as if he were tearing something apart. At the same time the droid was pulled to pieces by some invisible force. So the child was strong with the force and clearly knew how to use it. That would be why the Jedi were interested then. More droids came pouring into the holo. The girl whipped out two lightsabers from the safe and threw one to the boy that had just destroyed the droid. They effortlessly batted away all the blaster bolts that were shot in their direction. Somehow, they used their weapons with the elegance and grace of a well trained Jedi. With a practiced perfection that no normal youngling should have. Within no time, they had cleaved through the droids and escaped. The holo flickered off. 

"Those were the children, the two potential bright disturbances, I met in the streets," Obi-Wan commented. Had two Jedi younglings gone rogue? Is that why the Jedi were concerned? What was this disturbance Obi-Wan was talking about? Anakin would have to ask him to catch him up later on.

"Assumed that, we did," Yoda replied. "Trained like a Jedi, they have been, but match no face in our data bases, do they." Anakin's brows furrowed. So they weren't younglings gone rogue. Sith, perhaps? No, their blades hadn't been red.

"This is not a matter we can ignore any longer," Mace sighed, sitting back into his seat. "We cannot have two powerful younglings running around the under-city unchecked. Especially if they are going to cause chaos like this."

"You want us to bring them in," Anakin supplemented.

"Know more about them, we must," Yoda dipped his head in agreement. "Provide us with answers for our new Sith, they might be able to."

*

Leia sat atop a tall roof that overlooked a huge square. Her feet were dangling off of the edge. A shifting sea of beings covered the ground far below. Just looking down made her stomach flip. Glowing bill boards and holograms lit up the cold night air. The bustling noise of busy chatter and thundering traffic was distant to her unfocused ears. Her nose nipped and her fingers were going numb. Goosebumps prickled her skin and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself. Beside her, sat Luke and Han. They were watching the crowds far below too. Vacant eyes scanned the masses. People watching had become one of their favourite hobbies to pass time over the last few days on the streets.

They had been helping out Han primarily. As it turned out, speeders could be dismantled quicker with the force than with their hands. Although stealing didn't sit well with Leia, she was helping him to provide for all the new children that had joined forces with him. It wasn't easy work either, but they were doing the best they could. 

"Leia," Luke whispered suddenly, pointing down to a hologram that was displaying at the centre of the square. It was an image of a cloaked man with a dark mask, slicing easily through clone troopers. Her gut tensed and she sat forwards. It was a report of a new enemy that had appeared on the battle field. A brutal, remorseless fighter with the skill of Dooku and the animosity of Grievous. Although she didn't recognise him completely and his movement was a lot smoother, she knew instantly that was Darth Vader. 

"We need to find him before he can cause any more damage," Leia growled, rising to her feet. Luke nodded mutely, joining her as she stood.

"I'm sorry, but I could have sworn you are talking about the murderous crazy sith just then," Han objected, his voice hitching as he clambered up to join them. His face was twisted with confusion and alarm as he stared between them.

"We are," Luke nodded. "We have been trying to hunt him down. He is our responsibility."

"The Jedi really do push their young hard, huh?" Han spoke with obvious distaste.

"We aren't Jedi younglings," Leia offered him a small smile. He reared backwards and opened his mouth to object.

"But you said-"

"No, you assumed," Luke interjected with a smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but this is where we have to part ways." Once again, Han's brows scrunched inwards. Devastation poured out of him. "We have to find that man, and he is currently in the outer rim."

"I thought you'd agreed to stay with me," he spoke bitterly.

"We wish we could be here for you, Han, but this is something we must do," Leia told him. "We'll see each other again. Don't worry." Han gave a little nod.

"Then I guess I'll see you around," he spoke lowly, letting out a huff of air and pushing past them to vanish from the roof. Leia reached out after him and opened her mouth to call his name, but Luke gripped her shoulder and halted her in her tracks. He shook his head sadly.

"It's better if you let him go," Luke told her gently. "He needs space to work through it. We need to get to Vader as soon as possible." Leia nodded, knowing that chasing after Han only ever led to more arguments. Letting out a long sigh, she dragged her hands down her face.

"Let's find a way off the planet," she nodded with a whisper, a hollow glumness settling over her.


	11. On The Trail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a while...  
> Apologies for the wait but I don’t intend on giving up on this fic! I will go back to posting weekly, so be ready for chapters around Saturday-Sunday time!

Anakin scrunched his nose as he knocked on the rusted door that was cut into a little side alley. The bright sun bore down on them from above, but the air nipped with a chill. Obi-Wan stood beside him, his expression also dark. This was where the pawn broker had directed them. It was some kind of orphanage. The owner of which, dubbed Max, had been the man to sell the set of lightsabers that the children had broken in to steal. Hopefully this produced a lead, because so far they received nothing useful from facial recognition software and the CCPS could provide no information on any of them either. The last few days had been infuriatingly slow as they tried to uncover more information about children that seemingly didn't exist.

The door opened up just enough to let a large man peek out from behind it. "What do you want?" Max growled, eyes narrowing to slits.

"I'm Knight Skywalker and this is Master Kenobi," he introduced them. "We are here on official business." The man's eyes widened. Before Anakin could react, Max slammed the door shut. A bubble or irritation rose within the Jedi. "Why don't criminals understand they'll never be able to escape us," Anakin groaned. Obi-Wan let out an exasperated sigh. Yanking out his lightsaber, Anakin cut a hole in the door and used the force to blow it in. Throwing himself through it, he took off in a run through the building. Max's force presence was fleeing fast, but he was faster. Winding through the dirty, crumbling corridors, Anakin quickly found his target and all but threw himself atop him. They were both sent tumbling to the floor. He righted himself quickly, levelling his blade with Max's neck. 

"I didn't go near your kriffing kids," Max hissed, pinned with his chest pressed against the ground. "They came to me and I gave them what they wanted." The two Jedi traded a look. 

"Were these kids you speak of, by any chance, a little boy and girl?" Obi-Wan asked, stroking his beard in thoughtful consideration.

"Yeah," Max grunted. 

"What did they come to you for?" Anakin pressed with a low growl. 

"Their lightsabers," Max wheezed. Anakin gritted his teeth. They were still waiting on the analysis from the temple archives to match the lightsabers that the pawn broker had registered. He struggled to believe two children living on the streets would have been able to put a lightsaber together on their own.

"Why did you have them?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I grabbed em from their belts when they was convincing my kids to go back to street life," Max grunted. Anakin narrowed his eyes. For the first time, he noticed the slight chemical smell in the air. He saw how broken down and destroyed this place was. Jagged pipes jutted out of the walls. The force wailed in misery all around them. It felt like Watto's workshop.

"Where can we find those children now?" Obi-Wan continued.

"I don't know where they was from. I ain't seen em before then. They told me they was Jedi," he responded. Anakin furrowed his brows. They were no Jedi. Had they not been children, he would have been furious at them for sullying the Jedi name. "They came to me with another street skat," he continued. "He runs a group of thieves."

"And where would we find him?" Anakin shifted impatiently on his feet.

"I dunno," Max grunted. Anakin lowered the blade of his saber slightly closer to the man's neck. "The other kids on the street'll know," he blurted. "He's called Han. If you corner one of the little skats, you can probably bribe his location out of them." As much as Anakin hated the thought of bargaining with vulnerable children, he knew it was necessary. Sheathing his blade, he rose to his feet.

"Let's go find ourselves a kid," Anakin hummed, clipping his weapon back onto his belt.

"Yes, but first we need to report this place to general enforcement," Obi-Wan tutted, glancing around. "It is certainly not up to CCPS standards." Max seemed to crumble upon hearing those words, giving Anakin a glimmer of satisfaction.

*

Anakin was almost surprised at how quickly they'd been able to corner one of the street kids. It was a little rodian girl with scraggly clothes a long dirt streaks that dimmed her blue skin. They found her at a dead end alley, seated on the floor, tinkering with, what looked like, an ion propulsion engine and was shielded from view by a towering garbage heap. The stench was terrible and skeets were skittering all around it. "Hello," Obi-Wan greeted her as she came into view. Her large eyes somehow became even larger when peered up towards them, which in turn was only amplified by the huge goggles she wore. It was almost startling. She scampered to her feet and took a few timid steps backwards. "We just want information," Obi-Wan raised his hands.

Anakin did his best to keep his face amicable and kind, but his heart was breaking for the child. He could see his younger self in her. The same fear for the future. It pained him that a planet as developed as Coruscant still had children on the streets.

"Information about what?" she narrowed her eyes and leaned away from them.

"We are looking for a boy named Han," Obi-Wan responded.

"What do you want with Han?" she asked icily, constantly scanning them. Every muscle in her body was ridged. Anakin thought that if he breathed funny, she would bolt.

"We believe he knows the location of two other children we are searching for," Obi-Wan told her calmly.

"I don't know where they are," a youthful, boyish voice spoke from behind them. Anakin turned to see a boy with scruffy clothes standing in the alley behind them. His arms were crossed and his stance wide. Despite his confident front, he felt like a leaf in the force. One blow and he would take flight.

"Han, I presume?" Anakin asked, cocking a brow. This was the same kid that they'd seen in the security holo of the younglings destroying separatist droids.

"In the flesh," the boy watched them warily. Anakin didn't understand why the street kids didn't like the Jedi. It wasn't like they were going to hurt them. If anything, they should have been a comfort. Still, he reprimanded himself for being naive. As it was, the Jedi represented law and military might. These kids didn't want to be thrown into the system, so of course they would be wary of Coruscant's enforcers. "You're looking for the two not Jedi, Jedi younglings, right?" he asked. Were they that predictable? The Rodian girl slipped past the Jedi and vanished out of the alley, but not before Han whispered something in her ear. Anakin's suspicion tingled.

"That we are," Obi-Wan agreed, folding his arms into his robe. "I assure you, we don't intend on harming them."

"I wouldn't be able to tell you where they are, even if I wanted to," Han shrugged. "They left our crew earlier today and I have no idea where they are going."

"But you have spent time with them, yes?" Obi-Wan cocked a brow. Han gave a wary nod. "Could you tell us what you do know about them?"

"Why should I?" Han grumbled. Anakin smothered the irritation that rose within him.

"They are very powerful force sensitives," Obi-Wan informed him. "They could be very dangerous."

"They aren't dangerous," Han bit back instantly. Anakin suppressed a grin. The kid didn't even know what he'd just done. What he'd given leeway to.

"What makes you think that?" Obi-Wan innocently cocked his head to one side.

"I don't think it, I know it," Han protested. "They are the most Jedi-like, non-Jedi I've ever met." He flicked his eyes up and down the two men before him, distaste evident on his face. Although Anakin wasn't certain why the boy disliked them, he assumed it was solely based on them being Jedi.

"How can they be Jedi-like if they aren't Jedi?" Anakin aided Obi-Wan in teasing information out of the oblivious boy.

"They were strong, but they didn't gloat. They were moral, but they didn't judge others for their wrong doings," Han clenched his jaw. His eyes glazing over slightly. "They were level headed in every situation. Nothing surprised them." They did indeed sound like exemplar Jedi. More so than some within the order itself.

"They abandoned your crew and you still think so highly of them?" Obi-Wan spoke with a note of judgement. Han clenched his hands into fists and narrowed his eyes to slits. Anakin almost felt bad for twisting the kid like this.

"They didn't abandon us," Han snapped. "They had important business to attend to in the outer rim." Han's eyes widened to the size of saucers the moment he realised what he'd done. 

"The outer rim?" Anakin asked smugly. The child drew him a filthy look. "It's dangerous out there. That's where the war is being fought as we speak."

"Well obviously," Han retorted. Realising they couldn't trick anymore information out of the boy, the Jedi traded a look. 

"Thanks for your help," Obi-Wan sighed, dipping his head. "Have a good day." Just like that, the pair walked around the child. 

Before they could exit the alley, Anakin glanced over his shoulder to see the boy watching him. "By the way Han, if you break into any more pawnbrokers, just make sure they don't have security cameras." Anakin grinned. Han's eyes widened, but he said nothing in response. With that they headed to the nearest docking bay. If the kids were going to get to the outer rim, they needed transport to do it.


	12. Discover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Luke and Leia ducked between large piles of stocking crates as they crept around the public shipyards. Lots of vehicles were left in the docking bays. Streams of people poured through the area. The noise was loud, but not deafeningly so. Their eyes were peeled for any ship left unattended. Most of the docking bays were filled with vehicles of all shapes, sizes and capabilities. Popping her head over the top of a crate that was nearly the same size as her, Leia scanned her surroundings. "So, what exactly are we looking for?" she spoke in a low tone to her brother, who was peeking over the crates behind her.

"Something small that contains a hyperdrive," he responded. "Preferably inconspicuous."

"Like that?" Leia pointed to a boxy, little vessel a few bays down. A dathomirian woman was unloading boxes from the compartment in its hull. 

"That would be perfect," Luke agreed. Nodding to her, they crept closer. Slipping around the back of a few bays in use, they skirted the edge of the woman's ship. The access ramp was down and the woman still shifting the boxes. " I think we should sneak on, wait until it's occupant leaves, and then take off," Luke commented calmly. Leia nodded, and together they watched the woman continuing her work from the safety of a barrier that marked the edges of each landing bay.

After a while of waiting with baited breaths, they had a clearing. The dathormirian turned her back to seal up her cart. They slunk around to the back of the ship, where the access ramp lay open. They managed to sneak close enough to place one foot on the access ramp when a loud shout took them off guard. "Hey, watch your ship!" a male voice shouted. Leia glanced up to see what looked to be two Jedi in brown and black robes racing towards them at full speed. One looked undeniably like Obi-Wan Kenobi, the other she had never seen before.

"What are you doing!" the dathomirian scolded them, stepping out from under the ship. Leia grabbed the awestruck Luke and tugged him into the ship, sealing it behind her. Snapping to his senses, he raced up to the flight console and ignited the engines. The vehicle took off, rising steadily into the air. The odd shout could be heard through the thick steel. Just as they were about to break free of the docking bays, the ship shuddered to a halt.

"What's going on?" Leia cried, grasping the wall to steady herself as the whole cockpit trembled and shook.

"I think they've grabbed us," Luke hissed through his teeth. Standing on her top toes to peer out the viewport, she saw the Jedi in black robes stretching his hand out towards the ship. Visible strain showed on his face. Leia's breath caught in her throat. She'd been in situations like this before, but that was with a malevolent Sith Lord. For just a moment, she drew comparisons between the two men but ultimately pushed it from her mind. This Jedi felt bright, like a blue star. He was full of potential and life. It was nothing like the black hole of Darth Vader. "Leia," Luke called. Snapping to her senses, she reached into the force and flung a packing crate towards the young Jedi. He was forced to release them so he could dodge. 

They began moving again, slowly accelerating upwards. It wasn't long until they jolted to a stop once more. "Blast," Luke huffed. "They've caught us in a tractor beam." Leia's eyes went wide. There was no escaping that. They were stuck.

"We need to abandon ship," Leia spoke with a note of panic. "The tractor beam will pull the ship down safely. If we flee now, then we might be able to escape them."

"Then we'd better start running," Luke murmured as the ship groaned and slowly began lowering to the ground. Whipping out his lightsaber, he cut at the front viewport and shattered it. Without thinking, both twins leapt out the vehicle that hovered in the air. There were loud shout of panic and fright from below as the twins plummeted down towards the busy shipyard. Calling the force about them, they landed softly. People stepped out of their path as the twins began tearing through the crowds.

"Stop those kids!" a voice yelled from behind. There was no doubt in her mind it was the Jedi. A security guard made a dive for Leia, but she swiftly jumped up over him. Landing easily, she zoomed away. Within no time, the twins broke out into the belly of the city. Dirty, winding alleys interlinked and overlapped. Whenever she glanced back, the pair of Jedi were getting closer and closer. In these tiny bodies, the twins had no hope of out running them. 

"Luke, split up!" Leia spoke to him harshly. Luke cocked a brow. "It will be easier to ditch them," she nodded behind her. Without having to think about Luke, she could focus on her own flight. Luke nodded. At the next junction, they went in opposite directions.

Keeping her head down, she whooshed through the streets at a pace that should have been impossible for a child. The new Jedi in the black clothing was hot on her tail. His presence brimmed with dark determination. Leia's heart pumped hard to keep her moving. At the end of an alleyway just ahead, a huge crowd was bustling through the street. If she could get in there, she'd be able to hide in the masses. Pushing herself, she felt panic fill her as the Jedi drew closer and closer. He was just within arm's reach when she broke out into the bustling street. Ducking between bodies, it wasn't long until the Jedi was left in her dust. 

Smiling smugly, she slowed to a walk as she pushed through the bustling street. Glancing back over her shoulders, she breathed out a contented sigh when the Jedi was nowhere in sight. Taking the next turn off into an empty alleyway, she strolled along leisurely. She wondered if Luke had gotten rid of his pursuer yet. As she went, she pondered where she should go. Perhaps back to Han's? Luke would find her one way or another.

There was a thump behind her and two hands gripped her upper arms. A squeal of fright escaped her lips. "You can't get rid of me that easy," the voice of the new Jedi snorted. Leia lurched forwards to escape him, but his grip was strong. He plucked the lightsaber from her belt, making her gasp in outrage.

"Hey, that's mine!" she complained.

"Stealing something doesn't make it yours," the Jedi reprimanded her. Leia opened her mouth to argue, but he beat her to the first note. "Now you can come with me calmly or I'll be forced to drag you in. It's your choice."

"I'll come quietly," she hissed through gritted teeth. 

"Good," he chirped, tugging her arms behind her and locking them in handcuffs. It wasn't the first time Leia had been in a situation like this. She knew the game well. If she played along for now, his guard would drop and when it did, she would make a break for it. "Come on," he gently nudged at her shoulder, making her start walking away from the crowds and prompting her to start walking. She sent him a foul glare.

Now that she could see him without fleeing, she could take in what he really looked like. Blue eyes, choppy, radiation bleached hair. A thin scar over one eye. He looked like the prime example of a muscle headed soldier. There were lots of them in both the rebellion and the empire. Maybe if it weren't for the Jedi purges, he'd have made a good stormtrooper. 

Lifting his wrist to his mouth, he pressed down on his com. After a short beep, a holo of the startlingly young Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared. "I have my kid, what about you?" the Jedi asked, arching a brow.

"Yes, I caught the boy too," Obi-Wan spoke with a competitive glint, she had never seen before, in his eyes. The young Jedi returned the expression. The holo of Obi-Wan expanded to show little Luke in cuffs by his side. "Meet me at the lower market, exit two." 

Whilst the Jedi was occupied, Leia saw her chance. Scampering backwards, she raced towards the crowds in the hopes she could blend in once again. Just as she was about to reach cover, some thing wrapped around her and pulled her off of the ground. Letting out a squeal, she immediately thrashed. The Jedi had looped an arm around her, pinning her to himself. "Stop fighting," the Jedi commanded. Fury sparked within her. She was not a soldier to be barked orders at.

"Put me down, you uncouth heathen!" she complained, kicking her legs wildly in the air.

"After that, not a chance," the Jedi grunted. Tucking her under his arm like a limp bag of rice, he began walking through the many alleyways.

"This is preposterous!" Leia whined, writhing in his grip. "Put me down at once, you brute!" 

"You've got quite a sharp tongue," the Jedi chuffed, clearly slightly irritated but no less amused. "It amazes me that you really think I'll be more compelled to put you down if you continuously insult me."

"The only thing men like you respond to is direct challenge," Leia huffed, stilling a little. Her whole body swayed with his movement. 

"Men like me?" he scoffed, defensiveness creeping into his voice. "You met me not ten clicks ago. You know nothing about me." It seemed Leia had hit a bit of a nerve. Her Jedi training told her there was no point in pursuing this, but the bitter part of her begged her to see how far she could push him until he snapped.

"I know your type. I've seen it plenty before," she growled through clenched teeth. "You like to take life for a joy ride and are stubbornly set in your ways. Am I wrong?" The Jedi narrowed his eyes at her. "I'll take that as a no," she smiled, relishing her small victory.

"I'm not arguing with a child," he spoke soothingly, more to himself than her. 

They rounded a corner into a narrow alleyway that connected to the main, bustling market square. In its entrance stood Obi-Wan with the unmistakably tiny form of Luke standing beside him. Luke caught her eyes. A conflict of amusement and disapproval flashed on his face when he caught sight of his sister's predicament. "Did that little girl give you so much trouble that you resorted to forcibly moving her?" Obi-Wan asked, cocking a brow with a grin.

"She has a terrible attitude," the younger Jedi grumbled. Luke sent her a scolding glare, to which she rolled her eyes.

"Now, now Anakin. I didn't think a child could push around the hero with no fear," Obi-Wan responded. Leia's face went blank. The twins stared at each other for a long moment. This Jedi's name was Anakin. A cold feeling settled over her and nausea tightened around her stomach. Then this man holding her was the same one that blew up her home. That tortured her until she was delirious. That needlessly hurt Han.

"Put me down," Leia spoke darkly. The Jedi glanced at her, clearly startled by her tone. Luke however, stared up at his father-to-be with starry eyes.

"Just don't run because I don't want the hassle of catching you again," Anakin grumbled.

"That won't be an issue," she answered icily. He set her down and she immediately moved to Luke's side, warily eyeing the two Jedi. One was to waste away in the desert as an old hermet, the other to become a scourge of the galaxy. To become the man she hated the most. Darth Vader.

*

Padmé knew that there was always a risk of danger when she was deployed to negotiate with potential allies. If the war had taught her anything, it was to look into every shadow she passed by and never take anybody on their word. A lesson she wished she'd applied to her current situation. The ground rumbled and shook. Shouts and screams were deafened by blasterfire. She was peering out the window of a huge building that towered above a desolate city scape. Glass bridges linked the highest of skyscrapers, making the city an network of tunnels a mazes that rested hundreds of meters above the thick purple mist far below.

From her vantage point, she could see the separatist forces marching through the tunnels, slaying any who opposed them. Marching at the helm was a man in dark clothing with a blood red saber that cut through his opponents with a flick of his wrist. Chewing on her bottom lip, she felt dread settle in her stomach as they drew closer. She placed a hand over her abdomen, unease rising within her.

"How long till they reach us?" one of the troopers asked, levelling his blaster at the doorway to the room.

"A matter of clicks," a clone commander spoke stoically from behind her. She rubbed her temples and glanced around the office. It was primarily blue, with a vine plant hanging from the ceiling. There were a couple of other clone troopers dotted around, all angling their blasters towards the closed door.

"What happened to air support?" Padmé quearied, peering down at the advancing enemy forces. They had reached the building and the Sith was nowhere in sight. Her stomach clenched and her thoughts turned to Anakin and the unborn child she carried. Would they never live to take their first breath? Was she ever going to see him again? Furrowing her brows, she pulled a blaster from her belt. Of course she was. She wasn't going to let him down. Not now, not ever. 

"All of our communications have been blocked and our air forces decimated," the commander explained, an obvious note of stress in his voice.

"Is there any way to get at least the senators to safety?" a trooper asked, pointing back towards her. The commander, Grunt, shifted on his feet.

"I have an idea, but it's risky," Grunt replied. She lifted her brows, prompting him with a nod to continue. "You see that building?" he whispered, pointing to one that stood adjacent. "It's got a bay of speeders that is only accessible through air travel. If we choose the right pane to shatter, I could grapple us right into it."

"Do it," Padmé encouraged him. Telling her to stand back, he whipped out his blaster and shot through a pane of glass. Before all the fragments had even settled, he shot a slug that sped through the air and crumbled a window in the opposite building. Just like that, he tugged out a grapple wire and shot down to the shattered pane. The thick wire went taut.

"I'll go first to clear out possible enemy troops. Send the senator after I give the signal," Grunt ordered. His soldiers barked an affirmative. He attached a handle to the wire and leapt into the air. He became a white streak as he slid fast and vanished into the building. The moment he did, she watched where he’d disappeared with baited breath. Time crawled by painfully slowly. The sounds of blaster shots and screams drew ever closer. The clones shifted on their feet, all angling their weapons at the one entrance to the room.

A flash of green light from the bottom of the wire, and her heart jolted. A crimson blade burst through the door’s access panel and caused to slide open. Her heart leapt into her throat when the cloaked Sith burst into the room and began cutting down the troopers. Her body was frozen in fear.

If Padmé knew the Sith, she knew there was no point in even trying to slide away. He would cut the wire and she would plummet to her death. The last thing she could do was go down swinging. Raising her blaster, she shot the him. He deflected the bolts with ease, after having cut down everyone but her. Padmé's chest tightened as she realised she was next. With a flick of his fingers, the gun was tugged from her hands and flew through the air into his grip. He crushed it with one hand.

With his lightsaber lowered, he quickly advanced on her. Padmé took a few steps back, her body half out of the window and her heart rattling her whole frame. He halted right before her, extinguishing his blade and holding something out towards her. Her heart hammered in her chest, but she still observed it. Her eyes widened when she realised it was one of the attachable handles she could use to get away. "Go," the Sith told her in a soft, but deep and mechanical, voice. Her body went ridged. "Go!" he barked. She supposed he might want the satisfaction of cutting her down as she fled. If she stayed, she would die. Either way the outcome would be the same. She at least had to try to escape. 

Taking the handle, she clipped it to the wire and jumped from the window. She was shocked when he didn't try to hurt or stop her. Staring back over her shoulder as the wind aggressively whipped in her face, she saw him ignite his blade. Her gut sank and she squeezed her eyes shut. Strangely, the cord didn't go slack as she expected it to. In no time, she was stumbling through the window on the opposite building and into a huge, vacant hangar that was filled with speeders. It was only then that the scarlet blade swung, cutting the wire so that none could follow. 

Padmé shoved down her puzzlement and raced over to join the clone taking the helm of a speeder. Grunt started it up and in no time they were tearing out of the building and soaring away from the city, across a gassy lake of purple mist. The noises of the battle faded behind him, allowing her time to finally fixate on that strange Sith.


	13. Council

Padmé hugged herself tightly. Both she and Grunt sat in their speeder on the top of a huge, rocky column that erupted from the mists far below. The night sky was littered with glittering stars. Very little could be seen in the dark. The pale moonlight only caught the odd contour of a distant mountain. This high up, the winds were bitter and cold. Goosebumps prickled her skin and she had to grit her teeth to stop them from chattering. Curled into the speeder's side, she kept her eyes squeezed shut in the hope she would fall asleep. It was futile. That Sith dominated her mind. He'd let her flee. He'd let an enemy flee. She'd watched him cut down troopers and politicians indiscriminately. Yet, for some reason, he had allowed her the chance to flee. Not just that, but he'd urged her to go. Gently. Softly. Like a guiding hand. Like someone who cared.

Padmé had no idea who the man was, but she had a sneaking feeling he knew her. Why else would he have let her go? Unless, it was all one big trap. Perhaps he had let her go because he knew she would flee to the hidden republic base on the other side of the planet. Her stomach clenched and she sat upright, dragging her hands down her face. "Grunt," she whispered, shaking the clone's arm gently. He stirred, lifting his pale helmet towards her.

"Is everything alright, Senator?" Grunt asked in a groggy voice.

"Back at the city, the Sith had an opportunity to kill me but he didn't. I've been pondering it for a while and I think he might have let me go so that we would lead him to the other republic forces," she explained in a rush, her heart pounding within her chest.

"Did he have a chance to put a tracker on us?" Grunt asked, sitting up straight and turning to face her.

"I don't think so," Padmé murmured, "but it's not a risk I want to take. The republic base would be crushed." 

"Then what do you propose?" Grunt asked, watching her closely. Padmé paused, wracking her mind for all the possible ways she could escape the planet without getting caught. She reviewed all the schematics and maps she'd seen before hand.

"I say we go back to the city's side hangar and steal a ship with a hyperdrive," she said.

"It'll be risky, Senator," Grunt commented. Yes, she knew that. With the little life she was responsible for, she knew that, but who was she to prioritise their lives over thousands?

"Is there any other option?" she whispered. "We have no accesses to communications to ask for help and travelling to the base puts hundreds at risk." Grunt gave a meagre nod.

"It is our only option."

*

Luke had discovered some information about the late jedi order after the Empire's fall, and one thing that had always been a particular interest to him was the high council of masters. It was difficult to reign in his excitement as he stood at the centre of a ring of some of the galaxies most powerful Jedi. Their faces were stoic and expressionless. Some of them were physically present, but the majority attended through holo. Eyeing them carefully, he committed their faces to memory. Some he recognised from his research, but the majority were new faces.

Although Luke was invigorated to see new Jedi, it was the ones he knew from his own time that were really throwing him off. Yoda was still old and decrepit, but something within him was lighter. The weariness of crushing defeat had not yet destroyed him. Obi-Wan too looked much more lively. There was a twinkle of playfulness in his eyes and a smile just lingering beneath the surface of his lips. The one that had startled Luke the most however, was his father. Anakin Skywalker. It had never occurred to Luke that his father looked any different from the pale and scarred man he saw on the second Death Star. Instead, he was spritely and spirited. His skin was warmed by years in the sun and his eyes glinted with mischief. It was so unlike the cold and callous Sith Luke knew that he doubted they were the same person at all. He had left the twins with the masters and vanished some time prior. Luke ached to see him again.

"I know it just be quite alarming to have been pulled into the temple like this, children," a man, who Luke recognised to be none other than the Mace Windu - master of Vapaad - spoke to them softly. "We don't wish to hurt you, we just want to know more about you." The twins traded a look. Luke could feel Leia's irritation at being treated like a child, even if she technically was one.

"I cannot guarantee we will answer all of your questions, but ask what you will," Luke replied as respectfully as he could. He folded his arms into the loose sleeves of his tunic.

"Your names?" Yoda asked.

"Leia."

"Luke," he replied, catching himself before he automatically spoke his second name.

"A family name, do you have?" Yoda pressed.

"Solo," Leia responded, her features displaying how unimpressed she really was.

"We can tell you've been trained in the ways of the Jedi and yet we have no record of either of you in our archives," Mace spoke curtly. "Would you care to explain how you two learned to utilise the force?" The twins locked eyes. A silent debate passed between them. They needed to decide how much, if anything, they were going to tell the Jedi. Now that they knew Vader had meddled in the timeline, their future would probably never come to pass. Who knows what he'd done already. Now, all they could really do was try to guide the war to the best possible outcome and remove Vader before he could cause any more damage. Agreement passed between them. If the Jedi were fighting against Vader, they would have better chances if they really knew what they were up against.

"We are Jedi," Luke began explaining slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. "Just not of this time." A wave of incredulity washed through the room.

"Are you trying to imply you are from the future?" Mace asked dryly. "For all we know you could be a threat from the separatists. This is no time for childish games."

"We aren't children either," Leia responded sharply. "We've been stuffed into bodies of our child selves, but we are older than we look." Again, the room filled with disbelief. From some masters, Luke could sense amusement or irritation.

"You've been having trouble with a new Sith on the battle field, have you not?" Luke spoke calmly, doing his best not to let their reactions bother him. Had he not experienced this himself, he too might have scoffed at such a claim.

"No Sith is trouble for us, little one," Mace responded calmly. Leia's anger fizzed and Luke tensed for incoming.

"If no Sith was trouble for you then you would not be fighting this war in the first place," Leia snapped, straightening up and putting on an expression befitting of any politician worth their credits. "Don't be foolish enough to disbelieve us simply because we are unfamiliar to you." Mace's lips pressed into a thin line. Yoda tilted his head curiously. "That new Sith is called Darth Vader, a creature of no mercy and bottomless cruelty. I've watched him slay entire armies with only his blade." 

"He is powerful beyond any Sith you've faced before," Luke agreed. "He travelled to this time with us and we are trying to track him down to put him back where he belongs. You stand no chance against him because he already knows every move you will make." The air in the room went still. The Jedi kept their faces and minds guarded. Luke couldn't detect anything from them any longer. 

"Why would a powerful Sith come to this time?" Obi-Wan asked quietly, scanning them with his eyes.

"We don't know," Luke responded just as calmly. "Although Vader is from your future, he is from our past. Where we are from, both him and his master have already died. Some past version must have meddled with time, sending him to us, then ultimately you. We don't even know if this was his intended destination, but he is certainly here for something personal." 

"How do you know that?" Windu asked with narrowed eyes. The twins traded a stare.

"In our future, the Sith rule the galaxy. The Jedi have been hunted to extinction by Vader himself. They built a super weapon that destroys entire planets. As far as he knows, he and his empire are invincible. The only reason he could be back in the past must be personal to him," Luke tried to explain the best he could, but the more he did, the more he realised just how convoluted and unbelievable their story really was.

"You said the Jedi were extinct?" one of the masters Luke did not recognise spoke with a note of incredulity.

"A select few survive to train the next generation," Luke clarified before they could use it to poke holes in his story about being a Jedi himself. 

"From how far in the future are you?" Yoda asked, his forehead wrinkled steadily increasing.

"24 standard years from now," Leia responded.

"The Jedi are ten-thousand strong," Mace sat forwards. "How could they be decimated in such a short time?"

"We don't know how or why, but the clones will turn on you. You will be deemed traitors of the republic. They will slaughter you all," Leia spoke darkly. It was her that had told him the truth of the Jedi purges. Her father, Bail Organa, had been on Coruscant when the temple was massacred. He'd told her of the smoke that bellowed up into the atmosphere and blackened the sky for days afterwards. Of the brilliant flashes of light that illuminated the night sky as bombs and blasters fired. "The empire will make it seem as though you never existed. In 24 years, you will be nothing more than myth." Even though Luke himself knew this to be true, standing in a building lit with so many trained Jedi made it seem all the more implausible.

"Who deems us traitors?" Mace asked.

"The Emperor," Leia responded.

"Who is the Emperor?" Obi-Wan cocked a brow. Once again the twins locked eyes and internally debated the positives and negatives of revealing the truth.

"If we tell you, you cannot take up arms against him," Luke informed them. Silence prompted him to explain himself further. "As we said, we have no idea what catalysed the clones to turn and the Jedi purges to initiate. If you attack him now, you may only hasten your fate."

"We won't pursue anyone without proof of their guilt," Mace responded dryly. “Who is the Emperor?"

"Sheev Palpatine," Leia spat out the name like it burned her. A tidal wave of shock and outrage slammed down on the twins from all angles. It seems the chancellor had the Jedi council wrapped around his finger. What else could be expected from a man so adept in manipulation?

"You do understand how large of an accusation that is?" Another Jedi Master spoke.

"It's not an accusation, it's a fact," Leia retorted. 

"Settle," Yoda lifted a hand and drew attention to himself. "Time to reflect on this information, we must have." That, Luke, could certainly understand. "To a containment chamber, take them, Kenobi." Just like that, Ben rose to his feet and guided them out of the council room. Luke nearly deflated the moment he escaped the Jedi scrutiny. That had been quite the experience. The forlorn look in Leia's face told him she was thinking much the same.


	14. Debate

For a hangar she had visited just a few rotations prior, the city's main port looked almost unrecognisable. Huge platoons of droids marched in militant rows. The sound of clanking metal reverberated all around, nearly deafening her. Large imperial ships were filing in and out of the hangar, their powerful engines blowing out intense waves of heat. There were civilians in cuffs being loaded onto transports. Armed guards stood tall all over the place. From where Padmé and Grunt crouched behind a wide stack of packing crates, she could just about see the majority of things happening. Her mind was beginning to predict the push and pull of the hangar. It's deep buzz of energy settled over her.

As she scanned the hangar for a potential escape route, she occasionally caught sight of a flap of dark fabric. The Sith, the strange Sith that had saved her life, was striding around and returning to the gutted underbelly of a fighter ship. Despite the way her heart raced, being in the heart of the enemy base, she found he continually captured her attention. There was something about him that intrigued her. The way he moved was fascinatingly familiar and it was such an alien sight, to her, to see a Sith that was clearly high ranking tinkering with a ship. Then again, it couldn't be any more alien than him showing her mercy.

Shaking her head, she corrected herself and redirected her train of thought. There was no guarantee he'd done it from the kindness of his heart. He was probably just using her. What she needed to focus on was escaping the planet and returning to Coruscant. To her home. Padmé couldn't die now. Not when there were people counting on her. Not when she was responsible for the life of another. Her hand settled over her stomach. She used the memory of her closest friends and colleagues, of Anakin, to bolster her determination to flee. Spotting a small starship at the back of the hangar, she gently nudged Grunt's side. He peered over at her and she pointed to the ship she'd spotted.

"It's too far," Grunt whispered, shaking his head. "We'd never be able to sneak all the way over there without getting caught." Padmé pursed her lips to one side and cautiously eyed it.

"Then we wait," she responded. "The hangar has to quiet down eventually."

"We'd better hope it does, or we aren't getting off this blasted planet."

*

For as long as Obi-Wan had been a part of the Jedi council, he had never seen them devolve into such a heated debate. The masters were using snippy, sharp tones and condescending remarks. From where he sat in the circle, he could see the confusion and frustration on several other faces. What Luke and Leia had told them was outrageously ridiculous and yet some part of him believed them. He'd felt their sincerity and their good nature. If they were mature beyond their bodies as they had claimed, it would explain the way they spoke and their uncanny knowledge of the force. 

"Alright," Mace spoke, ending their chatter. "I think it's time we made a decision. Do we believe the Solos, or do we think they are fabricating a story? All those in favour of their story, indicate now." Obi-Wan was shocked when just over half, including himself, lifted one limb into the air. He was even more surprised when both Mace and Yoda agreed. "Then going forwards, we will act on the basis that the twins were telling the truth."

"If we accept their story, then we must also accept that the supreme chancellor has bewitched us all and is the Sith Lord that orchestrated the war," Shaak Ti spoke dryly, clearly dissatisfied by this whole situation.

"That's not too difficult to believe," Obi-Wan spoke calmly, feeling eyes settle on him. "Count Dooku revealed to me at the start of the war that the senate was under the control of the Sith. I did not believe him at the time, but perhaps I was mistaken." 

"The chancellor has held onto his power for much longer than his term permits," Kit Fisto agreed, nodding a tentacled head.

"We already know the clone army was produced by the Sith for us, to lure us into war," Ki Adi Mundi added. "It would make sense for the Sith to also take hold of the senate to ensure the war fulfilled its purpose."

"Even if we know Palpatine's true nature, we cannot act on it," Plo Koon folded his long, knobbly fingers together. "If we don't know what will cause the clones to betray us, then we can't stop it from happening and if we pull all Jedi from the battlefield, the chancellor will know that we have realised the truth."

"If I remember correctly, Anakin encountered a clone that began unwillingly executing Jedi on the battlefield," Obi-Wan interjected. "One of the clones swore it was the inhibitor chips in their brains that had made his clone friend act out. Could it be worth speaking to Anakin on this issue?"

"Do not bring Skywalker into this," Mace warned Obi-Wan. "He is temperamental as it is. It would be better is he was left in the unknown." Obi-Wan pressed his lips into a thin line. This felt wrong. The other Jedi didn't know Anakin as he did, just his reputation, but he could agree that Anakin would not react well to discovering how much the council had been hiding and that his closest friend was a Sith Lord. The last thing they needed was for the chancellor to detect a change in Anakin's behaviour and realise the Jedi suspected him. "Find a way to probe the issue without letting him know the truth," Mace instructed him. Obi-Wan nodded grimly.

"Should we share our concerns with the Kaminoans?" Shaak Ti asked gently.

"If it turns out that the clone's have been chipped to kill us, then they will be the ones that programmed it," Plo Koon argued. "I do not think it would be wise to clue them into our suspicion either."

"A difficult situation, we find ourselves in," Yoda sighed deeply, his wrinkled lips forming a thin line of concern. Heavy silence settled over the room. Pressure fell upon them. If what the Solos claimed was true, then the whole order had been lead around by a leash they hadn’t known was there. "Proceed with extreme caution, we must."

"Perhaps we could remove a chip from one clone and run our own diagnostics on it," Kit Fisto suggested, his large eyes scanning them for any objection.

"Can I leave you in charge of that?" Mace asked him. Fisto responded with a steady nod. "Then for now, we will continue fighting the war as we have before. This information must not leave the council."

*

Leia sat in the corner of the cell that Luke and her had been thrown into. A red field blocked the doorway, completely locking them in. It was a metal box of a room. The only design was a slab that stuck out of the wall and acted as seating. Luke had his eyes closed and and sat cross legged at the centre of the cell in deep in meditation. She could feel how easily the force flowed through him and pooled around him. 

Leia, on the other hand, was occupied with other thoughts. Primarily, she was thinking of the Jedi council. They had not been the impartial, perfect warriors her father had described. Then again, her father had never thought she would have to meet them and the stories of the Jedi heroics had always been a comfort to her in the darkest hours of the Empire's rule. It wouldn't surprise her if her father had told her simply to keep her morale high.

"I can feel you buzzing, Leia," Luke spoke softly. "What's on your mind."

"What did you think of the Jedi council?" Leia asked. "Will they believe us?" Luke paused for a long moment, carefully considering his answer.

"They are more bound by their duty as soldiers of the republic than I thought," Luke sighed, shifting slightly from side to side. "I hope they'll see the logic in our arguments. It would only benefit them to work with us."

"If they don't, we'll have to break out of the temple," Leia warned him softly.

"It won't be easy," Luke mumbled. "But we will do what we must when we must."


	15. Information

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep accidentally writing Obi-Wan as Obi-San. It paints quite a terrifying picture in my mind, but is still strangely amusing. I always forget how much I enjoy writing for this fic too. I don’t do much during the first few days of the week, which is probably why... Anyway, enough of my babbling. Enjoy!

The hangar had completely cleared out, allowing Padmé and Grunt to creep closer to their potential escape vehicle. The occasional patrol of droids marched through the hangar. That strange Sith was the only other living being in the hangar. He periodically left and came back to continue work on his ship. She was begining to wonder if he was even human, with his refusal to sleep. The moon was hung like a gleaming diamond at the heart of black silk through the hangar's open top. The cold air raised the hairs on her skin.

Both she and Grunt moved silently around the outskirts of the hangar, ducking behind large transport vehicles and packing cubes. At all times, she kept her eyes trained on the Sith. Of all their obstacles, he was the largest. Still, they reached their destination with no hitch. Creeping around the back of the ship, Padmé pressed on the access panel and the ramp began to steadily lower to the ground. Sneaking up it, she blew out a tiny sigh of relief when she entered the ship's belly. It was confined and dark, but they were out of the prying eyes of the hangar crew. 

Opening up the door to the cockpit, she froze when she saw the muzzle of a B1 battle droid staring at her intensely. "Intruder!" it screamed, lifting up its blaster. It never got to shoot. In a flash of light and heat, it's head was blown from its body by Grunt. Hauling the metallic skeleton out of the way, she jumped into the pilot seat and began flicking the controls. Through the viewport, she could see the hangars security fast mobilising. Blaster fire peppered the ship, but she'd raised the shields in defence. The engine began purring as the vehicle lifted from the ground.

"Wait, open the access ramp," Grunt yelped, tugging on her shoulder. That's when Padmé's eyes picked out the long, cylindrical nose of a separatist tank aimed straight at them. Their shields couldn't defend against that much fire power. Opening the access ramp, she let Grunt half drag her back through the ship. They leapt out of its open stomach, falling some distance to the ground. She was about to get back up, but Grunt pushed her back down. A wave of heat pooled outwards, accompanied by a spraying of ship parts as the whole thing exploded. Pain shot through her when a shard became lodged in her shoulder. Biting down on her tongue to stop a scream, she sucked in a deep breath. Her ears were ringing and white spots danced before her eyes. The air was so thick with the stench of burning rubber and oil that she was choking on it.

The moment the debris settled, she pushed herself up to her feet. Droids swarmed her from all angles. Grunt couldn't lift himself to his feet, due to the chunks of steel embedded in his legs. Grabbing him, she pulled them both down behind a particularly large metallic plate. It caught the blaster fire before it could reach them, but she could see the metal growing molten hot. In no time, the blaster fire would tear right through it and hit the two people taking cover behind. The repeatative banging and firing was deafening. Padmé's heart was pounding in her ears. Once again, terror filled her. Would this be it? Would she really die here? Would her child never even experience its first breath?

"Hold your fire!" a voice that crackled with modification boomed across the vast expanse of the room. The blaster fire fell silent. Frowning, she rose into a crouch and peeked up over the plate they were hiding behind. The Sith was wading through the debris field towards them. His cloak billowed out behind him and his hands were clenched into fists. She gritted her teeth, not knowing what he would do. Her chest tightened. Knowing she would not be able to stop him if he decided to kill her, she rose to her feet. Grunt pushed himself up to sit as he watched the incoming mass of dark fabric.

The Sith stopped just an arms length before her, his mask angled towards her. Even although she couldn’t see them, she felt his eyes connecting with her own. A single lock of brown hair tumbled over the top of it. Again, she was hit with a pang of familiarity. Somehow, the idea of tucking the hair back where it belong didn't seem too foreign to her. A cold shiver raced down her spine and she was confused by her own emotion. The Sith reached out a hand. Padmé heard a crunch and a clatter from behind. A wince morphed her features. She didn't need to look back to know Grunt was dead. Padmé almost wanted for the same to happen to her, but the Sith turned away. "Take the senator to the cells," he commanded, striding away. She gritted her teeth as she watched him go. Cold anger rose within her at Grunt's murder, but she smothered it down, not wanting to give him a reason to kill her too.

The droids ran over and began shepherding her off to the detention block. Her mind was reeling, but focused on one thing. That strange, strange Sith.

*

Meditation had been difficult for Anakin since he'd been sent back to Coruscant, but he was finding it especially difficult on one bitterly cold morning. His gut kept telling him something was wrong. That he had somewhere to be. Something to do. It was important too, but for the life of him he couldn't pin it. 

As he sat in one of the temple’s open gardens, he found himself growing increasingly more irate with this restlessness he couldn't quench. Leaning against one of the thick tree trunks, he tried not to let the feeling of the rough bark digging into his back grind on his nerves, or to let the wind pushing his hair into his eyes heat his fuse, but he was failing. None of it would settle until he figured out what was bothering him so much.

Snapping his eyes open, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared around for something to distract him. The garden was quiet. Only the occasional Jedi strolled through. Yet, it was filled with life. Tall grasses that were interwoven with colourful flowers swayed gently from side to side. Birdsong twittered through the air and despite the cold, the sun's intense light planted warm kisses on his skin. It reminded him a little of Padmé's gentle heat. At the thought of her, his stomach twisted. He pressed his lips together, suddenly realising what the issue was. It was her absence from Coruscant. He'd reasoned it away and perfectly understood she had important work to do elsewhere in the galaxy, but it still felt unnatural.

Anakin had been beyond excited to see her, and yet she wasn't even on the planet. It had relieved him to know he would be stranded whilst recovering, but it wouldn't be much longer until he was sent away on another assignment. Padmé was due back from her negotiation mission the rotation before. Knowing his luck, he'd probably dispatched the same day she came back. He was sick of this. Never being able to see his wife, having to run around and keep it a secret. He just wanted to be with her with no consequences. Not for the first time, he found himself pondering his life at the Jedi temple and his position in the war. He'd lost so much time. Perhaps Ahsoka was right to have left the order. Maybe he should follow suit. 

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that Padmé probably wouldn't want that. There was still a lot of fighting to be done and Anakin was the Jedi council's favourite weapon. Without him, the war would be more difficult to win and if it was lost then the republic would be dissolved. Frowning, he realised he didn't want that either. Instead of lamenting painful thoughts, he turned his mind to Padmé. Her absence was burning inside of him. Visiting her apartment had only stoked the fires of his pain. It worried him deeply that she was late returning, even though it was a frequent occurrence   
with all war missions. He couldn't help but think that he should be there for her.

"I thought it would be a cold day on Tatooine before I found you willingly meditating," Obi-Wan's voice spoke suddenly. Anakin jolted, looking up at the form of his master who stood beside him. He'd been too caught up in his thoughts to notice his friend approach. "Something must really be bothering you," Obi-Wan tutted, lowering himself to sit by Anakin's side.

"No, I just had time to kill," Anakin laughed humourlessly. A familial silence settled over the pair. "So, were the kids just stray younglings?" he asked watching a bird as it jumped from branch to branch in the lush canopy above.

"I can't tell you that, I'm afraid," Obi-Wan responded. Anakin frowned, but he wasn't surprised. If the council were remaining quiet on the children, then they must be more important than he'd thought. Perhaps they really were a separatist threat.

"The council keeping more secrets? There is a surprise," Anakin grumbled dryly, his irritation flaring up.

"I came to speak to you about an old issue you had with the clones," Obi-Wan spoke. At this, Anakin's interest peaked. The clones were brilliant soldiers. They were hard working and intelligent. It was very rare that any Jedi had issues with them. "I heard a rumour amongst my men about the chips they've been given. They seem to think it'll make them turn on the Jedi and kill them. I know you had a similar issue."

Anakin's shoulders dropped a little and he glared down at the ground. A cold feeling settled over him. "I had a clone, Tup, go rouge. He executed a Jedi on the battle field but had no memory of doing so. He claimed the Jedi were traitors to the republic and kept repeating 'good soldiers follow orders'." Blowing out a long breath, he ran his hands down his face. He could still remember the vacant, half mad stare in the clone's eyes. "In the end, I think it turned out that his chip had rotted and driven him crazy." 

"The same thing happened to fives, did it not?" Obi-Wan watched him intently. A little too intently. Anakin was suspicious of why he wanted to know all of this suddenly. Whatever the reason was, Anakin trusted Obi-Wan enough not to exploit it.

"No, Fives removed his chip because he somehow convinced himself that they were going to turn him against the Jedi and that there was a huge plot led by Palpatine to extinguish the order," Anakin was still haunted by the paranoia and terror that had gripped ahold of fives. It was an unfair and horrible way to die. He should have died on the battlefield with his brothers. A death all the clones seemed to glorify. "In the end it drove him mad and he tried to kill Palpatine. He was shot down."

"I'm sorry," Obi-Wan muttered.

"It's a closed case. I can't see how anyone could have gotten access to that information without my codes," Anakin frowned.

"It is peculiar," Obi-Wan agreed. Anakin's eyes narrowed. Obi-Wan was definitely hiding something. Rising to his feet, the Jedi dusted off his robes. "Thank you for the help. I'm sure that information with put my men's minds at ease." Anakin's temper flared.

"You don't need to lie to me Obi-Wan," Anakin scolded him. "If you want to know something, all you need to do is ask. No matter what the council asks of you, I'll still be honest." A look of guilt crossed Obi-Wan's face.

"I know, you're right," he sighed and folded his arms into his sleeves. "I'm sorry." Anakin nodded sharply and Obi-Wan left him to return to his failed meditation attempts.


	16. Panakin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom. Double update. I’ve written quite a bit this weekend as I’m at one of my favourite parts in the plot (five or six chapters away still, sadly). I might even update again tomorrow, with the way it’s going, but I won’t promise anything as I know myself I am infrequent lol. Anyway, enjoy!

Anakin was seated on one of the rickety cots in the temple's medbay. A little droid was buzzing around him, reapplying the bandages around his shoulder. The room was small and predominantly white. On the cot beside him, Obi-Wan was having the wraps around his head fixed. The stench of antiseptic nipped his nose and eyes. A mirilian, temple medic was sitting at a work station nearby, typing away at a computer screen. A small holo of the current news droned away beside her. A heavy toydarian yapped away information that Anakin already knew. The medic would check the droid's work from time to time to see everything was going well. It was a basic checkup however and it had been deemed they would be well enough to return to the field in a few days.

Anakin's shoulders were slumped, a heavy pressure weighing in his chest. Padmé had still not returned from her mission. The longer she was gone, the more his worry flared. Less, he was concerned about wether he'd be able to see her before he left and more, he was concerned about wether he'd ever see her again. Something deep within him whispered that something was wrong, but he couldn't discern if it was born of his own fear or the force itself. It was not uncommon for diplomatic missions to drag on, as was the nature of politics, but for some reason this was particularly unnerving him. Maybe it linked to his upset that he would be deployed in a few days and unable to see her for the force knows how long.

What awaited him on the battlefield, he didn't know, but he already dreaded it. The only certainty in war was loss, and he felt like they'd all already lost enough as it was. He'd been able to draw relief from the hope the war would end with the sieges, but with this appearance of the new Sith he couldn't be certain anymore. The war could take years more. The thought made him screw his eyes shut as the deafening noise of pained screaming rang in his ears, coupled by the explosion of bombs and wheezing of a blasters. No part of him wanted to go back to action, but his duty compelled him. He needed to fight for the future. For a safe galaxy that both he and Padmé could spend the rest of their days in.

Anakin's attention snapped over to the holo news when he heard Padmé's name mentioned. "The city of Modiea, capital of Senque has been unexpectedly overrun by separatist forces. Senator Amidala of Naboo was present on the planet in the middle of negotiations with the capital government. Since the attack, all communications have been cut from the city. The last transmissions claim the new Sith had cleaved his way to the heart of the cities parliamentary building. All those inside are assumed to be dead."

Anakin went completely still. His blood ran cold. Dead. Dead. Padmé couldn't be dead. He'd have felt it. He'd have known. His heart was immediately set racing. He fixated on the news report, listening desperately for any further information. The little flame of fear in his head burst up into a raging inferno. His body completely locked up. Padmé was possibly dead or trapped on that planet with that creature like Sith. The Sith that had easily cut both him and Obi-Wan down. Tightness wound around his chest. If she wasn't dead yet, her life was at real risk. The moment reality hit him, his mind made a decision. He was going to Modiea. Even if he died in that city, he was finding Padmé.

Brushing off the droid, Anakin lifted himself to his feet. "You're treatment isn't finished yet," the temple medic frowned, staring up at him in confusion.

"Yes it is," he spoke icily, turning and powering towards the door

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan's voice called for his attention, but Anakin didn't let it stop him. He left the medbay without a second thought and began powering down the temple's sparsely-populated, marble hallways. Obi-Wan followed him out, immediately chasing after him. "Anakin, wait!" he called again and received much the same response. Only when Obi-Wan fell into pace beside him did he finally look up. "Anakin, I know you're concerned about Padmé but charging straight into Modiea will only get you killed." 

"What else can I do?" he snapped, throwing his arms out to the sides. 

"There is a secret republic base on that planet. The separatists have removed all the civilians so council intends to bomb the city ," Obi-Wan began.

"They can't bomb the city, Padmé might be in it," Anakin's eyes widened and he lost the ability to breathe. A sudden thought occurred to him, making his blood boil. "Wait, did you know she was there?" his upper lip curled into a horrendous snarl. If Obi-Wan had known Padmé's life was endangered and not told Anakin, then Anakin wasn't certain he'd ever forgive him.

"No, I didn't," Obi-Wan shook his head gravely. "We assumed everyone had died in the initial attack and all the records we've found of the citizens rescued didn't contain republic forces." He pressed his lips into a thin line. "The republic forces on that planet were completely overwhelmed and the main hangars were the first spaces to be occupied." Anakin knew where Obi-Wan was going with this and he didn't want to hear it. "I'm sorry but she could not have survived."

"Well she did," Anakin snapped, halting in his tracks and spinning to face Obi-Wan. "I'd know if she were dead. I'd have felt it." He sucked in a deep breath. "You need to tell the council to delay the attack." Obi-Wan blew out a long breath. Pain made his expression crinkle.

"I can't change your mind, can I?" he spoke lowly. Anakin clenched his jaw, offering no response but a steady glare. "Fine, but I'm not letting you go alone."

"Thank you," he replied. With Obi-Wan's help, his chances of rescuing Padmé would greatly increase.

"Give me thirty clicks," Obi-Wan asked.

"Absolutely not," Anakin snapped, his blood boiling at such a comment. "She is trapped with that monstrosity of a Sith. Every second counts."

"That Sith nearly killed us both," Obi-Wan reminded him. Anakin's lip curled at the memory. "We can't help her if we are dead. I may have a way to greatly improve out chances of beating him, but you must give me time." Anakin gritted his teeth, blowing out hot breath from his nose.

"Fine. Thirty clicks, but not a second longer," he spoke sharply.

"I'll meet you at the hangar," Obi-Wan dipped his head. "Go and finish your checkup," he pointed to the bandages that dangled from Anakin's shoulder. Anakin begrudgingly agreed, turning and heading back towards the med centre to finish his checkup. There wasn't much else he could do in the meantime anyway.

*

Vader stared at the cell door before him. His heart was pumping hard in his chest. Beyond it was the very person he had done all of this for. The person he'd spent decades mourning. The person he'd thought about every day since the moment they'd met. Yet, she probably saw him as nothing more than a cold-hearted killer. It had to stay that way for now, no matter how much it killed him. Sucking in a deep breath and straightening up, he pressed on the access to the door. It slipped open, revealing the Nabian beauty within. Her dark eyes flicked up to rest on him. They paralysed him for a moment and the door began closing before he broke himself loose of her trance and stepped in.

Padmé was seated on a little bench that jutted out from the wall. With her back straight and her legs crossed, she stared up at him defiantly. An aura of elegance and grace permeated out of her. Her shoulder was wrapped in bandages, making his blood run cold. She could have died when that ship was blown apart. Vader had already violently dismantled the droids responsible, but the thought of what might have happened had she not jumped from the ship had been chewing on his mind. Part of him was glad he'd taken her prisoner. It meant he could stop her from recklessly risking her life again.

Lifting a hand towards where he knew the camera to be in the corner of the cell, Vader clenched it into a fist. The little, eye-like orb exploded into scrap metal. Arching a brow, Padmé stared up at him expectantly. Anger danced behind her glassy lenses. "Why did you come back to the city?” Vader spoke lowly. "I told you to go."

Padmé's eyes narrowed and she seemed to take this as a direct challenge. "I was supposed to trust the Sith that had just murdered all of my allies when he told me to run?" she spoke with bitter sardonicism. The sound of her voice rose the hairs on the back of his neck. His mind screamed out in delight. It really was her. It was his angel.

"If I'd wanted you dead, you would be dead," he told her bluntly, clenching his fists to hide the way they trembled.

"There was no way you let me go out of the kindness of your heart. You want something," she snapped. "I can't risk giving it to you." Anger filled him. She was so self-righteous. Too self-righteous. Padmé never thought of herself and it was always those who cared about her that had to pay the price.

"So you'd rather risk your life? The life of your child too?" he growled. Padmé went ridged, her face paling as she stared up at him. Vader froze. He cursed himself. He shouldn't have brought up the child. The only one that knew of it in this time was Padmé herself. If he wanted to scare her, he'd certainly hit the mark.

"How... how do you know?" she spoke in a deathly quiet voice, shrinking away from him. Vader felt a little guilt bubble inside of him. 

"I could sense your preoccupation with it," Vader informed her coldly. It wasn't entirely untrue either. When he'd told her to flee, he could feel that the only reason she'd done it was for the child. For Luke. Taking in a sharp breath through her nose, Padmé straightened up a little, but she crossed her arms defensively over her chest.

"What do you want from me?" she spoke lowly.

Vader clenched and unclenched his hands. "That is none of your concern," he spoke with a voice of steel, even if it felt like he was cracking on the inside.

"I disagree," she hissed.

"Unfortunately, Senator, it matters not what you think," he growled, pressing down on the access panel behind him. Her brows pulled together. "Your recklessness will get you and your child killed. Perhaps you should think more of how many you would let down if you died." Her eyes widened at his words, but he gave her no time to respond by backing out of the cell and leaving her in her isolation.


	17. Guess Who

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaboom! Third day in a row. I was doing some planning earlier, and there I should just so much I want to happen in this story. I think we are somewhere between a quarter and a third of the way through and I’m not certain how to feel about that lol.  
> Enjoy this shorter chapter, but it won’t be long until they start lengthening.

Obi-Wan stared down at the two enigmatic children that weren't even really children. They'd been stored in a containment cell and when he'd entered he'd found them both seated on the ground with their legs crossed. They'd been facing each other, their hands clasped in their laps. "Master Kenobi," Luke greeted him, turning around to glance up at him with large eyes. Every time Obi-Wan caught sight of the boy, he was always startled by how familiar he looked.

"Luke, Leia," Obi-Wan greeted them. "Would you be willing to answer a few simple questions?"

"We don't have much else to do," Leia responded dryly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yes, I suppose that's true," Obi-Wan chuckled, moving over to the bench within the cell and perching down on it. The children swivelled on the ground to face him. Their gazes regarded him softly, almost familiarly. With them potentially being from the future, he supposed they might know a future version of him. An interesting, if terrifying, thought. "I want to know more about this Darth Vader," he spoke calmly. Leia's eyes darkened, but Luke remained impassive. "He has taken hold of a city that a friend of mine has been trapped in. Is there any way to distract him without drawing attention to ourselves that will let us sneak in and rescue her?"

Luke let out a long, low hum. "As we've said, he is very powerful," he scratched at his chin. "Aggravating him only strengthens him and he is almost always in a state of aggravation. He strongly dislikes Jedi. He will almost always drop everything to hunt one down and he harboured a particular hatred for you, Kenobi." Obi-Wan nearly scoffed. So he was another favourite of yet another Sith? Lucky him. "You may be able to distract him, but you'll need to keep him occupied whilst someone else rescues your friend." Obi-Wan wasn't certain how long he would last in a duel, alone with the Sith. Both he and Anakin had been overwhelmed alarmingly quickly.

"In truth, your best option would be to take Luke and I with you," Leia looked up him steadily. Obi-Wan scowled at the idea of letting children anywhere near the Sith, but corrected himself. They weren't children. They were well trained Jedi. Even still, his conscience would never allow him to let them face off against a Sith in their weakened state. "We can engage him without fighting," Leia continued, as though reading his thoughts. "Your chances of success would be much greater with us." Obi-Wan paused, considering it for a moment. No, he couldn't. There was too much at risk. He didn't yet know if he could fully trust them either.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot do that," he told them, dipping his head slightly. "Thank you for your help." They sent him kind smiles in response and he slipped out of the room.

*

Padmé was pacing back and forth in her cell. Sweat beaded her hairline and she was filled with tingling panic. The small walls of her cell were closing in on her. That Sith, that masked Sith, she couldn't take him out of her mind. She had no idea how he'd known she was pregnant. He shouldn't have know. It was barely even visible. He'd told her he'd sensed her preoccupation with the child, but Padmé knew there was more to it than that. She'd been in almost constant contact with Jedi she knew since she'd discovered she was pregnant and none of them had sensed anything.

Anakin had told her in the past that it was easier to pick up on the emotions of people he knew well, so she assumed that was the case for all force sensitives. So how had he known? Her heart seized in her chest when she thought back on watching him tinker with his ship. He was painfully familiar. The issue that disturbed her the most, was his willingness to set her free. He'd let her go and was upset when she'd not done as he'd asked. He'd seemed so genuinely angry because she'd put her life on the line. Padmé could try to deny these facts all she wanted, but it was painfully obvious who the masked man was. There was only one person who loved her enough to get angry when she risked her life to save others and was as powerful in the force as he. There was only one person she knew that would spend hours tinkering with his ships that would likely just get destroyed anyway. There was only one she could always identify, even behind a mask.

Warmth sprung to her eyes as she slumped down on the bench. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying in vein to stop herself from breaking down. A shiver rattled her body. It wasn't true. He couldn't have turned to the dark. Queasiness filled her. She was just making assumptions. There was an explanation for all of this. There had to be. 

Padmé went ridged when the door to the cell slid open and in stepped the Sith. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him. "What's wrong?" he grumbled. "I could feel you freaking out from the other side of the building." He'd come to her because he felt she was upset? Her lips curled downwards. That just verified her fear. This man before her was the love of her life, Anakin Skywalker.

"Did you really think a mask would stop me from recognising you?" she spoke quietly, rising to her feet. He went stiff and silent. "Did you really think I wouldn't know you when you are standing right before me?" Tears nipped her eyes. He leaned forwards as though he was going to move towards her, but abruptly ground to a halt.

"You are mistaken," he told her, but his voice was just as frail as hers.

"Don't lie to me," she snapped, stepping towards him. It seemed he was even afraid to breathe. "What have you done?" she looked him up and down. "How many people have you hurt? Killed?" He began leaning back from her. "I saw you slaughtering clones." Her hands balled into fists. "They are your friends. Your allies. Why are you doing this?"

"They are not my allies," he growled suddenly, making her jolt. "They're puppets. You're all puppets." Her brows furrowed as she glared up at him. "I kill out of necessity. I kill to achieve my goals. Don't talk about things you don't understand."

"You're right," she spoke lowly. "I don't understand why you've done this. I don't know what could have happened to make you act like this. So tell me. Explain to me why you're ignoring that light heart of yours."

"No. You don't need to know," he answered sharply, stepping back to exit the cell. "I'd suggest you put this from your mind for your own sake, Padmé." He exited the cell, leaving her to wallow in her misery. More tears streamed from her eyes. Staggering back, she all but fell back onto the bench. Pulling in a ragged breath, she grabbed handfuls of her hair and doubled over herself. Something terrible must have happened to him. She should have been there for him. She should have helped him. Why hadn't he reached out to her? Why had he let this happen?

Swiping the tears from her cheeks, she sucked in a deep breath and straightened up. She couldn't cry. Not yet. It wouldn't solve her problems. She needed to help him. To bring him back to the light. To show him the error in his ways. Gritting her teeth, she filled herself with resolution. Padmé was going to bring back her Anakin, even if it was the last thing she ever did.


	18. Drop It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not me updating again? Hehehehe.  
> I will offer you forewarning, the next 5-6 chapters were written in the span of three days and you might notice my writing slowly becoming more sloppy as I crumble from within. But alas, its quite a riot and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Buckle in, cause I hope your enjoy it too!

The moment Obi-Wan Kenobi had left them in their cell, the twins turned to each other with a mutual look of determination. "We have to get out of here and go with them," Leia spoke. "Vader will kill them."

"I know," Luke nodded, stress bubbling up within him. Though his father was redeemed later in life, he was still a tyrannical Sith that spared none. The Jedi were at serious risk. The pair clambered to their feet and toddled over to the cell door. A steady, blue field was what kept them locked in. As far as his eyes could see, there were no troopers guarding the cell, but he could sense some further down the hall. Sliding into the force, he reached out a hand and focused his mind. Finding the controls for the field, he easily deactivated it.

"Good work," Leia praised him as they slipped out into the hallway. The shoulders of two temple guards could be seen standing at the end of the corridor. No matter how Luke wanted to try it, he knew he couldn't just slip by them. "Here," Leia pointed to a vent close by. They were only just small enough to fit into it. Pulling the grate away from the vent, he crawled into it first. Leia was quick to follow him into the cramped space, closing the vent behind them. "Where to now?" she whispered.

"I sense Ben not too far from here," Luke responded quietly and began crawling through the stuffy space. His mind locked onto the steady, soothing light of Ben Kenobi. He was close by to a burning, firestorm. One he had recently learned was the young version of his father. It was so strange to Luke, to see the man he knew as an armour-clad giant. It was like he was a completely different person. One that was filled with happiness. Who would joke around and laugh with the very people he'd spend the majority of his life trying to hunt down and kill. Anakin Skywalker was the day to Vader's night. Had he not known for a fact they were one in the same, Luke would have thought anyone telling him they were the same person was insane.

For years of his life he'd often wondered what his father would be like. A pilot, a Jedi, a warrior, all things Luke himself had admired and aspired to achieve. He'd learned a little about his father through old holos that rejoiced his achievements in the war and celebrated his power. 'The Hero With No Fear.' That's what they'd called him. Luke was grateful to learn about Anakin's career before Vader, but part of him had always wondered what he'd really been like. He'd wanted to know what kind of person, who was acclaimed and praised by so many, would turn into a mass murderer. Now, he finally had the chance to find out. Not only that, but Luke might be able to find out who his mother was. That blank space in his family tree had always bothered him. He wanted to know what she was like. If either him or Leia had taken after her. Part of him wondered if she and Anakin were even close. As a Jedi, he wasn't supposed to have attachments. Had it been a break of will, or was there a woman out there that owned his heart?

A bubble of excitement rose within Luke. He was the closest he had ever been to finding out more about his lineage. Although he knew Leia had no interest in their family history, he hoped this look into the past would help her heal some of her trauma with Vader. Holding onto her hatred of him would only burn her. This was her chance to move on.

Luke was pulled from his thoughts when he crawled over a vent that looked down across a vast hangar. It was nearly completely empty, only two Jedi within. Almost directly below him, he caught sight of a small, sturdy ship. Anakin was at its underbelly, tinkering with the wires as Obi-Wan stood by his side. "As I said, Anakin, my plan doesn't come without risk," Obi-Wan spoke calmly. "But, it may increase your chances of getting Padmé out alive."

"Padmé?" Leia whispered, her voice hitching. "As in Padmé Amidala, the senator of Naboo?" There was no hiding the excitement in her voice. 

"Perhaps," Luke commented. 

"Obi-Wan said she was a friend of theirs and the Jedi did work very closely with the senators throughout the war," Leia told him.

"Well spit it out then, we need to get moving," Anakin snapped. Luke took that as his cue, pulling the grate up and sliding it out of their path. 

"I have a source that claims Vader will do almost anything to kill Jedi," Obi-Wan informed him. Luke slipped out of the vent, silently dropping to the ground far below and ducking behind a strut holding up the ship. Leia followed him seamlessly. "Considering our last encounter, I don't think either of us should face him alone." The jedi began moving, walking up the access ramp and into the ship's belly.

"So what are you suggesting?"Anakin spoke darkly. With a nod, the twins leapt up onto the access ramp just as it lifted to shut and the Jedi slipped into the cockpit. 

"I think our primary plan should be trying to get in and out without being noticed," Obi-Wan told him. "If that falls to the wayside, however, then we should not engage." Luke scanned the boxy interior of the ship for a hiding place, landing on the small cupboards nearby.

"You think we should just do our best to remain out of combat and put all our effort into fleeing?" Anakin asked. Luke silently opened the cabinet and slipped into the empty space beyond. Leia was quick to cram herself in after him.

"If it comes to it, yes," Obi-Wan responded. Luke closed the cabinet door, reducing the conversation to nothing more than quite rumbles.

In their cramped, little corner, time seemed to crawl by. Before long, his body was consumed by aches and pains. It was nowhere near as bad as it might have been however, had he been in his adult body. A few times, he drifted off. The final time, he was jolted back to his senses when the whole ship violently shuddered. Both him and Leia rigidified. "Gah, Obi-Wan, didn't you tell them to postpone the attack?" Anakin barked.

"I did, but they weren't keen on following a your hunch that one senator may be alive when they could kill the Sith for good," Obi-Wan responded dryly. The whole ship shuddered again and an alarm began wailing.

"Great, if The Separatists haven't killed her, the Republic will," Anakin growled darkly.

"Just focus on landing the ship," Obi-Wan reprimanded him. "We need to get in and out of there with Padmé as quickly as possible." The ship shuddered again. Anakin didn't respond. The rest of the journey was violently turbulent and before Luke knew it, the ship's engines whirred as it gently settled on the ground. The Jedi footsteps thundered past them as they raced out of the ship.

Cracking open the cupboard, Luke crawled from the tiny space into the belly of the ship. Leia followed him out, groaning as she unfurled. Nearby, Luke could sense Vader's dark presence pulsing. The twins shared a look. They needed to get to him and distract him before those Jedi could get themselves killed.

*

Vader's fists were clenched into balls as he tore through the long hallways of the captured city. All around him, droids were running in a frenzy to the hangars. Violent explosions rattled the buildings and sent tremblesthrough the ground. Sirens wailed and red lights flashed. The fools in the republic were planning in bombing out the separatist forces. Well he would ensure it wouldn't be easy for them. His first priority however, was getting Padmé out of this place. When the city was destroyed, he wanted her to already be half a star system away. Although no part of him wanted to release her, for the fear she'd get herself killed, he also knew he couldn't keep her with him. It was far too dangerous.  
Hopefully, this little escapade would knock some sense into her. She shouldn't be on active battle fields whilst she was pregnant.

The thought of Luke dying prematurely made his chest tighten. No, he wouldn't let it happen. This time, Luke would be brought up correctly with his real family. That, he solemnly swore.

Arriving before Padmé's cell, he slammed his fist on the release. She stared up at him with uncertainty. Pain blossomed on her expression. Vader's chest tightened. How she'd figured out his identity, he had no idea. He had irradicated the petulant little boy she loved years ago. There should have been no way for her to know it was him. Then again, she had always known him better than he knew himself. Perhaps the feint traces of Skywalker he'd failed to vaporise were all she needed to figure out who he was. Not that it mattered. When she saw the Anakin of her time, she'd think herself a fool and Vader would be free to work without anybody knowing his real identity.

"Come with me," Vader demanded, beckoning her with a hand. Padmé lifted herself to her feet and followed him without objection. It made him falter, the trust he saw in her eyes. It was misplaced. It shouldn't be there. Despite everything she'd seen him do, she still had faith in him. Guilt churned in his stomach as the image of her choking in his grasp flashed before his eyes. No, that had been Anakin, not him. He wouldn't do that to her. Not now and not ever.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked quietly as he led her through the halls.

"To the hangar," Vader responded gently. "This time you'll flee and you will stay away," his voice adopted a command.

Padmé's eyes narrowed. "You expect me to leave you?" she lifted her brows. "You want me to leave you like this?" Anger crept into her voice. "I will not turn my back on you." Vader's heart squeezed. It was that blind, stupid loyalty that had gotten her killed. If only she haddn't come to Mustafar to find him, maybe she would have lived.

"I am not who you think I am," Vader warned her darkly. "I suggest you drop the subject before you really hurt yourself."

Again, she levelled him with a cold glare. "Don't think you can lie to me," Padmé reprimanded him, causing him to grit his teeth. 

"Your belief matters not," Vader huffed. "I am not who you think I am." The truth in those words cut him to his core. "Drop it."


	19. Twin Sister

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is shaping up to be really long, and I’m surprisingly very okay with that. My updates will be less during the week, but I’ll publish as I finish other chapters so I won’t give a specific update time. I will try to at least put one out a week.  
> Also, I wanted to say thank for all the lovely comments. They are enough to make this girl happy for a whole week. I don’t always respond, because I’m awkward and don’t know to turn off the awkward in responses, but I alway read them!   
> Enjoy!

The sound of wailing sirens was not enough to drown out the thundering whoosh of Anakin's pulse in his ears. The flashing red lights weren't enough to pull his eyes from the horizon. The quaking ground wasn't enough to slow him down. Anakin tore through the glass hallways of the city, dodging and ducking out of sight of any droid. Occasionally he would cut one down, but he was predominantly focused on only one thing. Padmé. He had to get to Padmé. 

The moment he stumbled into the prison building, he used the force to dismantle the droids sitting behind the curving reception desk. A round room led out to the different prison blocks. At it's centre was a ring of chunky consoles and data banks. He wasted no time pouring over them and scanning for Padmé. He bounced on he balls of his feet. Obi-Wan kept his blade drawn as he surveyed their surroundings for possible threats. The moment her name pinged, a tidal wave of relief washed over Anakin. "She's here," he breathed, rolling his shoulders.

"Where here?" Obi-Wan grunted, his features pulled strict.

Switching to a different screen, he pulled up her information. "Cell I34," he announced. The security feed of her cell was just static. The camera must have been damaged. Unease bubbled in his gut. Ignoring it, he raced to the elevator with his master in tow. They stormed in to the confined space, immediately slamming the buttons. The turbolift shot upwards, flipping his stomach. Gritting his teeth, he clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly. His breathing was harsh and hard. Prickles of tight pain harassed his chest.

"Anakin, you must calm yourself," Obi-Wan told him sternly, his brows pulling in together as his eyes raked his former padawan's jittery form.

"How can I stay calm when both the senator's and our lives could end any second from the bombings?" Anakin snapped back. "Not to mention, a Sith Lord so powerful we couldn't even scratch him is roaming these walls." Just thinking about it left him short of breath. He began running his hands back through his hair. His mind ran away with all the horrible things that could have happened to her. All the horrible things the Sith might have done to her.

"You will make a mistake with yourself so worked up," Obi-Wan reprimanded him. Anakin clenched his jaw, the truth of his master's words only upsetting him further. "You must settle yourself if we are to help her the best we can." Nodding, Anakin sucked in a few deep breaths. It did the same amount of damage to his distress as throwing pebbles at a tank.

The elevator pinged and both Jedi went racing out. Again, they were tearing through the hallways and not stopping for any reason. By the time they reached her cell, Anakin was furiously panting for breath. Slamming his fist on the access panel, his heart went wild as he waited for the door to slide open.

The moment he saw what was inside, he went ridged. It was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Staggering in, he glared all around himself for any sign of Padmé. "No, no, no," he breathed out, grabbing handfuls of his hair. 

"Anakin-," Obi-Wan began from his position in the doorway. Not listening, Anakin pushed out past him an back into the hallway. He began opening all the other cells around him at random, queasiness tightening his stomach when he found all of them were completely empty.

"Where is she?" Anakin cried, his heart beat rocked his whole body.

"You must calm down," Obi-Wan gripped him by the shoulders, and pinning him with a calming stare. 

"Calm down?" Anakin's voice hitched and he gripped Obi-Wan's wrists tightly. "I'll calm down when we find the senator."

"Clear your head and use the force," Obi-Wan instructed him. "It could be our only chance at finding her." Pulling away from Obi-Wan, Anakin stalked over to a wall and planted his hands on it. Leaning his weight on them, he closed his eyes over and banished all thought from his mind. Instead, he focused on the ebb and flow of the force. The wailing sirens and flashing lights faded to the back of his mind. The force was buzzing with anticipation and danger like a disturbed hornets’ nest. 

Focusing, he tried to isolate living things nearby. There weren't many. The first he noticed was the two twin suns powering away from them and towards a cold supernova. At first he thought it the same children he'd hunted down for the council, but they were on Coruscant. His breath caught when he found the little, warm light of his wife. She was nearly eclipsed by the sith's darkness, but she was there. She was really there.

"She is with the Sith," Anakin bit out, blinking open his eyes and standing up straight. Obi-Wan's face paled.

"Then I suggest we move quickly," Obi-Wan murmured. Nodding, the two ran off, knowing full well this could be the last day they ever lived through.

*

The twins ran as fast as their little legs could carry them through the trembling base. Luke was constantly pulling a cooling trickle of the force through him. His mind was fixated only on his father. Not the thick, purple mist or the staggering beauty of the glinting city could break his attention. All around, the glassy buildings were being bombarded by brilliant flashes that caused violent vibrations all throughout the building. Nearby, the entire top half of one was instantaneously shattered. Fighter ships zipped around the place like gnats, shooting one another out of the sky. 

As they grew closer to the swirling darkness of Vader, Luke could sense Leia tensing up. Their last encounter hadn't gone well, and she'd been at full capacity then. With her skill limited by her child body, he could do much worse to her than taking off a hand. It made unease settle over him. With a long breath, he pushed those thoughts aside. He couldn't have doubt now. Luke had brought his father back once, so he could do it again. Not to mention, if Vader got a little too close to hurting Leia, Luke had a trump card to help her out. It might not stop him from harming her, but it would certainly stop him killing her. 

When they finally stumbled upon their father, the sight of him made Luke's body rigidify. There, standing at the centre of a glass bridge, was Darth Vader. Clunky, black armour was replaced with a light, leather tunic. A pale, scarred head had yet to be born from his dark locks of hair. His breathing wasn't audible in the slightest. It made both children stumble to a halt. 

At his side was a short woman with dark eyes and long hair pulled back into an intricate braid. She wore loose clothing that hung from her petite frame and her eyes widened at the sight of the children. Something about her immediately struck Luke as familiar. Her gaze pinned him. It was warm and caring and he'd seen it somewhere before. Perhaps an old holo? The force whispered to him, telling him this was the woman the Jedi were looking for. From the way Leia's force presence lit up, it was fairly evident this was Padmé Amidala.

"You left children here?" Padmé snapped up at Vader, who regarded her calmly. Luke wanted to see behind that mask more than ever. He wanted to know what his father was thinking. "You were going to leave children here?" she asked with more bite, her hands placed on her hips. 

"Those aren't children," he grumbled back, turning to face them.

"Did she just tell him off?" Leia whispered into Luke's ear. He nodded, his brows pulling in. On all accounts, she should be dead. Vader must need her for something and something important too if he was willing to tolerate being scolded.

"Luke?" Vader asked, almost cautiously.

"It's me," Luke responded softly, taking half a step towards his father.

"Then that must be the traitorous princess?" Vader hummed, a glimmer of dark amusement in his voice. Leia's scowl deepened, her body curling in on itself slightly. "It seems the stone affected you like it did me."

"You've had your fun, its time to go back to where you belong," Leia spat, her eyes narrowing to slits.

"I have business here yet," Vader drawled his hand brushing his lightsaber hilt. "I didn't fear you as adults, so I certainly do not fear you now." Luke felt the painful absence of his own weapon. Not that he needed it. He'd brought his father to his senses, not with violence, but passiveness.

"We don't want to fight," Luke lifted his hands placatingly, taking a few small steps forwards. Leia shot him a stern look. "Whatever it is you've joined the Separatists for, you need to let go," he continued. Vader's presence flickered like a stoked fire. "What you’re doing may have consequences we can never fix."

"I know exactly what I'm doing," Vader snapped. "You should learn not to flap your tongue so easily about matters you simply don't understand." His arms crossed over his chest. "The separatists are a means to an end." Amidala stared between the three of them with wide eyes and a slackened jaw.

"So you screwed up our home, now you've got to screw up everything here?" Leia spat, a furious scowl etched into her face. "Was total domination getting boring or have you just gotten greedy?" A few ships blew by, making the whole bridge shudder. 

"I'm here for a lot more than power," Vader snapped. "My goals are none of your concern."

"You made them our concern when you dragged us back here with you," Leia half yelled, her hands curling into fists. "As long as we are here it is our duty to stop whatever you are plotting and put you back where you belong before you can destroy everything."

"What a big dream for such a little girl," Vader responded dryly. "Perhaps I should take off both of your hands this time." Luke's attention sharpened when he felt two light presences barrelling towards them from behind. His hair stood on end. They would be a lot more open to violence. Sensing them too, Vader's head snapped up. "We're going to have company, it seems," he drew his lightsaber and twirled the blade.

Within moments, two streaks of blue light and flapping fabric blew over the twins' heads and locked the Sith in battle. The three of them were a flying tornado of colour. Luke's gut tightened. His father could seriously hurt either of them on a whim. After a violent blast of power from Vader, the three were blown apart. The Jedi were at Amidala's side, their narrowed eyes flicking down towards the children. Anakin's presence was a turbulent, strung out, mess, but Old Ben's was just as calm and gentle as ever.

"Stop!" Luke shouted, putting himself in front of his father and lifting his hands to the Jedi. "Stick to your plan. Run," he told them.

"I'm not leaving kids to a Sith," Anakin spat, rearing up slightly. "Even if you are pain in the neck stowaways," his gaze was pointed as he stared at them. Padmé was staring between him and Vader with a furrowed brow. A scarlet hue dusted her cheeks.

"We are not children. Go!" Leia urged them. Luke stared out at a fighter that was zooming close to them. Reaching out with the force, he began to redirect its path. His eyes caught his sister's and they knew what to do.

"You futile attempts at helping them are meaningless," Vader snapped down at the children. "They are too stubborn and self righteous." Anakin kept his blade lifted, his body in front of Amidala. Ben was shifting from foot to foot, his lips pressed into a thin line.

The twins moved in complete synchronisation. Leia blasted a powerful force wave at the Jedi and knocked them right the way back to the other end of the bridge. At the same time, Luke drove the fighter straight into the centre of the bridge. The whole thing collapsed instantly with a deafening bang. Glass sprayed everywhere as the bridge began to crumble and fall apart. The twins scampered back to the building, Vader just behind them. The ground began falling away beneath their feet, but the exit was just in sight. With a mighty jump, all three made it safely into the building with the bridge laid waste behind them.

Vader slammed his fist on the access panel, closing the doors and stopping the purple gas from leaking in. The bright lights of the Jedi hummed from the other building. They were safe too.

Before the twins had even caught their breath, Vader ignited his blade and levelled it at Leia's throat. "I should kill you now before you meddle any further," he growled. Her eyes narrowed defiantly.

"Don't," Luke argued, standing at her side defensively. His heart was hammering in his chest. "You can't kill her."

"Why not?" Vader hissed.

Luke opened his mouth to respond. "Don't you dare," Leia growled at him, violently grabbing his arm and digging her nails into his skin. He sent her an apologetic stare.

"She is my sister. My twin sister," Luke explained in a placating tone. Vader stilled, his grip on his blade tightening. Large cracks formed on the room walls. His presence twisted into a whirlwind of darkness. Leia stared at Luke with daggers in eyes. 

"I see," Vader responded, his blade sinking back into his hilt. He clipped it to his belt and stared over at the room's exit. A moment passed and he looked back down at them. "You are coming with me," he instructed them.

"Absolutely not," Leia hissed, crossing her arms.

"You don't have a choice in the matter," he responded coldly. "I have no quarrel taking off your legs and dragging you with me." Her mouth opened to respond, but she clamped it shut again. He turned in a flap of fabric and powered away. The children followed reluctantly. Luke considered this a small victory. They'd come for Vader, and they'd certainly found him.


	20. Crumble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... don’t judge the action sequences to harshly please lol. Let’s just say, I know my strengths, and fast paced action is not one of them.

Padmé stared with an open mouth at the collapsed bridge. The glass doors were cracked slightly, allowing thin streams of the gas to seep in. The building was trembling violently. The sound of metallic groaning filled her ears. "We should get to the hangar, it's close to here," Obi-Wan spoke calmly, dusting off his clothing. 

"We can't leave those children," Padmé objected vehemently, startled such words were coming from Kenobi of all people. Even Anakin looked a little put off. 

"They are not children," Obi-Wan replied. Anakin and Padmé traded a confused glance. 

"More secrets of the council?" Anakin asked snidely. Obi-Wan sent him a scolding glare.

"I can't explain to you, but they wanted to be with the sith, Vader, and if he is going to kill them they will already be dead," he told them evenly. Padmé peered out at the broken bridge, her heart sinking. It didn't seem right to leave those children to Vader. Not one bit.

"We need to get out of here anyway," Anakin's eyes fixed on the gas leak. 

"Breathe too much of that in, and we’ll die," Obi-Wan dipped his head. Just like that, the Jedi began walking away. Padmé's heart clenched. They couldn't be serious. Toddling behind them, she had to move her legs twice as fast to keep up with their brisk pace.

"Hold on a click," Padmé objected. "You two can't seriously be leaving them behind." They glanced at her, guilt flashing in Kenobi's eyes.

"You trust Obi-Wan and I, don't you?" Anakin challenged her. For only a moment, she stared at him and saw Vader. If she trusted him as much as she thought she did, then surely she would never have jumped to such a terrible conclusion? Batting those thoughts aside to be dealt with later, she focused on the Anakin before her and not her misplaced belief. The Jedi had never let her down and she trusted those two more than she trusted herself. She'd be lying if she argued any differently.

"Of course I do," she responded after a beat. His eyes narrowed. "I just didn't think you the type to leave people behind." Her words were pointed. They entered a stairwell that spiralled upwards.

"We've run into that Sith before, Padmé," Anakin spoke coldly. "We were lucky to escape with our lives." Her jaw went slack, a cold feeling settling over her. Of course she'd known that Sith could have killed her at any given moment, but the knowledge he'd nearly done that to Anakin and Obi-Wan sent a fresh spike of fear coursing through her veins. Her child had been in more danger than she'd perceived. A child Anakin didn't even know about yet. He might never have found out, if Vader had finished him. Her chest tightened. "Going after that Sith will get us all killed."

"As I said before, I can still feel them. If Vader was going to kill them, they would already be dead," Obi-Wan reiterated. "I have the feeling they are still alive and if so we can organise a way to rescue them from Vader at a later date." Padmé felt her shoulders droop. "We need to be alive to do that." Letting out a breath of defeat, she nodded her head. 

As they traveled through the city, they evaded the largest chunks of, surprisingly idle, droids. It didn't take long until they were clambering into a ship and blasting off into hyper space.

*

Leia could feel fury burning through her veins. She sulked after Vader and Luke through the collapsing building with her arms crossed and a scowl etched into her features. Not even the walls cracking and chunks of ceiling falling could alleviate her temper. She knew Luke had to reveal her identity to keep her alive, but it didn't feel like any less of a betrayal. He sent her the occasional, cautious look, which she returned with venomous spite. 

Vader himself hadn't addressed them once since they'd begun their little journey. He hadn't even looked at them. Through the force however, it was a completely different story. She could tell the connection he'd just discovered was dominating his mind. As foul as her mood was, it was nothing compared to the dark vortex of his anger. Anything light was sucked in and shredded. It made her queasy, to know he'd spared her only because he was her biological father - a fact that disturbed her enough as it was. She hated that he put value on their blood tie. It meant nothing. He was nothing to her. They were nothing to each other. Leia would be delighted if he spontaneously combusted or his heart just gave out on the spot or some rubble fell and crushed him.

"You should guard your thoughts better, Princess," Vader spoke darkly, glancing back over his shoulder at her. "The Jedi will not take kindly to such violent tendencies." Her fire of fury burst up into a roaring inferno. The one person she would never take pointers from was him.

"There are no Jedi around us," Leia answered evenly. "I certainly don't mind if you feel me picturing your death."

"You should be mindful if your thoughts," he reiterated. Leia ground her teeth. "Such anger makes me think you would be a fine addition to the Sith forces." Her whole body rigidified.

"I'm not weak enough to succumb to the darkness like you were," she answered coldly.

"There is nothing weak about the darkness," Vader snapped, his hands clenching into fists. "It is passion and anger, of which you have plenty." A fighter whizzed by a near window, making it rattle in its frame. "It's only a matter of time before you fall."

"I wouldn't count on it," Leia spat. His masked face observed her closely for a moment. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and a cold shiver raced down her spine. Even if Vader had lost the wheezy breath and menacing armour, he seemed much more intimidating like this. Perhaps it was because he now had the ability to communicate via his body or maybe it was to do with the enormous height gap. She only just reached his waistline. It was humiliating.

With a hum of satisfaction, he turned his attention forwards. Jutting her jaw to one side, she tightened the shields around her mind. The last thing she wanted was to prompt another pointless conversation. Glaring at his back, she found herself drawing comparisons between him and Anakin. The way they moved was slightly different. He moved with more power and heavier, lumbering strides, where Anakin was much lighter on his feet. Their mannerisms were different too. The Jedi was open and communicated a lot through his posture where Vader was almost always ridged and still. The only similarity she could pick out was in his shape.

"Father," Luke spoke suddenly, pulling her from her musings. 

"Yes, my son," Vader responded, glancing back over his shoulder towards them. 

"That lady you were with, the Senator, you didn't kill her," Luke began. "You need her for something, don't you?" Vader tensed, his hands curling into fists. 

"You... don't know who she is?" Vader asked slowly.

"The Senator of Naboo, Padmé Amidala," Leia narrowed her eyes at him. "A former queen and figurehead of peace during the clone wars." Bail had told Leia manny stories of Amidala and her exploits throughout the galaxy. As a child, Leia has always idolised her fight for peace. When she found herself in a hot spot as a young senator, she'd often asked herself what Amidala would do. It had never led her astray.

"She is your mother," Vader replied simply. Leia's blood froze and her step faltered. Even Luke's brows shot up in surprise. She screwed up her features. She had always condemned her biological mother for loving a creature such as Vader. No woman like that could ever mean anything to her. Yet, it was Amidala herself? 

"That explains why past you was so eager to come and find her," Luke mumbled, scratching his head.

"There is no way," Leia objected, narrowing her eyes to tiny slits. "You are evil incarnate: the face of destruction and violence. What in the name of the force would someone as brilliant as her see in you?" Vader straightened up, his temper twisting around itself.

"Perhaps you should ask her," he snapped. 

"Are you trying to say you didn't kill her because you are fond of her?" Leia snapped. He stiffened. "Do you really expect us to believe you ever cared for anyone but yourself?"

"You should watch your tongue, or I might just take it from you," he growled. A little satisfaction rose within her, but a scalding look from Luke made her halt her attack. They fell back into a tense silence. As Leia processed the new information, she couldn't help but feel the cold tug of disappointment. Her idol was not the woman she thought her. That was why her father always warned against meeting her heroes, she supposed.

A huge boom rattled the whole building. The transparisteel windows cracked, allowing the thick, purple gas to come seeping in. "Move," Vader barked at them as he broke out into a run and began tearing through the building. Luke and Leia raced after him, threading the force through their muscles to power themselves faster, but it wasn't enough. Vader pulled away from them fast and vanished around a corner. 

The walls began crumbling and spilling into the hallways. The twins had to clamber over it to proceed. They ran through the winding corridors in the general direction of where they knew the hangar they had come in to be. Leia's lungs and legs were burning. The large arch that led to the docks came into view at the end of a particularly long hallway. Luke pulled ahead of her slightly, with his more practiced force technique. The ground split between them with a deafening bang, making her skid to a halt. "Leia!" Luke called, reaching out for her, but the ground fell away beneath her feet. 

Leia squeezed her eyes shut, but her decent was incredibly brief. Something hard smacked into her side and wound around her, keeping her suspended in the air. Tearing her eyes back open, she nearly screamed when she saw it was Vader holding her whilst gripping the unsteady ledge Luke stood behind. How or when he’d gotten behind her, she had no idea. The entire half of the building behind them crumbled back and vanished into the mist far below. The flooring cracked under Vader's finger tips. With no warning, he flung her up onto the ground and hauled himself up.

"Don't breathe," he barked as the mist curled around them. Scampering to her feet, she held her breath. The three raced through the final doorway and onto one of the awaiting ships beyond. Diving into the cockpit, Vader started up the engines and blasted them up into the sky. The sky that was raining scraps of metal and blaster bolts.


	21. Roller Coaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day, heck, I’m on a roll. I spent quite a bit of time writing today and ended up finishing two chapters so thought I’d publish two. I know I should probably space them out more, but I just get so excited to post and share them that all self control flies out the window. Anyways, enjoy!

Padmé had her arms wrapped around herself as she sat in the quiet of the small, yet nimble, ship they had stolen in Modiea. The large viewport was a swirling mess of blue. The engine purred as the ship rocked delicately from side to side. The air was warm, cradling her body. Anakin was in the pilot seat, occasionally flipping a switch and pressing a button. Padmé and Obi-Wan were in the passenger seats. He was fully reclined, his head leaning back against the head rest. She was sitting back too, but absentmindedly stroking her stomach.

Nibbling her lip, she felt hot angst prickling her internally. Now that Anakin was here, and confirmed not to be Vader, she was once again faced with the task of telling him she was pregnant. Even just thinking of speaking those words to him left her short of breath. Hot bands of panic would wrap around her head and her chest. She had no idea how he would take news like that. No, that was a lie. She knew exactly how he'd take it. He'd be delighted without a shadow of a doubt. Anakin had never openly admitted to it, but she'd seen the way his face lit up with childish delight when there were babies nearby. He would be happy in the end, it was his initial reaction that worried her.

Padmé wouldn't be able to hide her pregnancy forever. Eventually, she would have to step down from her post as senator and likely return to Naboo. They would see each other even less than they did now. The only real way to remedy that was if he left the order. Then, they would never have to sneak around after waiting for months on end to be together. He'd mentioned doing so in passing before, but the order was nearly his whole life. He was going to have to make a hard decision. Seeing her once or twice a year, or giving up his career. It wasn't fair, but neither was life, she supposed.

Pulling in a deep breath, she tried to calm herself. The Jedi would notice if she worked herself up too much. The occasional side eye from Obi-Wan told her that he likely had already detected her upset. Anakin, on the other hand, had been glassy eyed for some time.

Staring at the back of her husband's head, she felt embarrassment rise within her. How could she have thought Vader was him? Anakin was bright and kind and loving. Vader was not. There was no was her Ani would ever turn to dark. Sure, he'd had his bumps in the past, but she knew better than anyone how deeply his goodness ran. It was engraved in his very bones. How stupid could she be? Did she really have so little faith in him? She should have known better. He'd come to save her, and she'd thought he was the very person holding her captive. How could she have betrayed him like that? 

Jutting her jaw to one side, she realised it wasn't something he ever needed to find out. It would only hurt him, to be compared to that monster. If Vader let it slip that she'd gotten the pair confused, then perhaps she'd confess, but until then, she would remain silent. It was likely just an act of desperate confusion in her pregnancy muddled mind.

"Padmé," Obi-Wan's voice pulled her from her guilty musings. She peered over at him and Anakin too glanced back momentarily. "Forgive me for saying this tactlessly, but how are you alive?" He sat upright. Padmé tilted her head curiously to one side. "Our intel suggested all Republic forces in Modiea were crushed," he explained. "I thought you might have been dead."

"That makes two of us," she chuckled lightly. His eyes cracked with a little amusement. 

"Luckily, Anakin was adamant you were alive," he added. Padmé cast her eyes to Anakin and he faithfully caught them with his own. Her stomach squeezed. Where she might have expected a flicker of cockiness or arrogance, all she could see was fear. He stared at her as though she were a leaf made delicate by frost. If he was protective before, she had a strong feeling it was going to get much worse. Especially when she told him she was expecting.

"Thank you," she smiled at him gratefully. Her gut twisted. Whilst he'd been faithfully trying to find her, she'd sullied his image with a Sith.

"Anything for a friend," he hummed, a smile curling his lips but not quite reaching his eyes. "Speaking of, how did you evade Vader for so long?" 

"I didn't," Padmé replied. They shot her confused looks. "In the initial attack, he let me flee," she explained.

"It was a trap?" Obi-Wan guessed.

"I thought as much, so instead of going to the republic base, and potentially leading him to it, I tried to flee via another route but ended up in his custody," she responded.

"Did he hurt you for the information?" Anakin spoke lowly, his eyes fixing on her bandaged shoulder.

"He didn't lay a hand on me," she continued. It suddenly hit her, how peculiar that behaviour was. She'd been able to reason it away when she thought he was Anakin, but now there was no plausible excuse. He was back to being a masked enigma. Again, the Jedi were perplexed by this. Their faces screwed up as though she'd told them Coruscant had been untouched by civilisation. 

"I'm glad he didn't hurt you... but why not?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know," Padmé shrugged. "When you arrived he was going to let me go." Their brows wrinkled. "At least that's what he told me. I don't know if he had other intentions or not."

"If he wanted you dead, I suppose he would have just killed you," Obi-Wan remarked. "There must have been some advantage to keeping you around." Anakin's brows were wrinkled, his teeth grinding against one another.

"Undoubtedly," she hummed. Padmé's brows pulled in together as she pondered her interactions with him. "I think those children knew him too. It seemed like they'd had a rough past." Anakin's brows shot up.

"When we get to Coruscant, I think it would be best if you recalled their conversation to the council," he spoke with slight warning. Confusion swirled within her, but Anakin's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Naturally," he spoke lowly. 

"I understand your frustration," Obi-Wan turned to Anakin fully. "This information must be kept top secret or we could lose everything." Anakin's expression sobered. "You must not speak of those children to anybody," he spoke pointedly to them both. "I mean not even each other or your most trusted ally. Don't even let them cross your minds." Padmé traded a long look with Anakin. Stress kneaded her mind.

"Yes, master," Anakin dipped his head. Obi-Wan's eyes flicked to her and she gave him a little nod. She trusted him just as much as she trusted Anakin. He wouldn't ask this of them if it wasn't crucial.

"Thank you," Obi-Wan smiled. "Your efforts won't be for nothing."

*

Leia's stomach was more knotted than a balloon animal. Sitting in the back of Vader's nimble ship was like a carnival ride from, well, the Sith. They were constantly in motion, swirling, flipping, spinning. There was never a moment of steady flight. She prided herself on having a strong stomach, but this was proving to be a little too much for her. Even Luke's face had paled somewhat. They were forced to desperately cling to their seats because the belts did nothing for their tiny stature. Their seats were directly behind his, giving them the perfect view as he picked off Republic fighter after Republic fighter. There was no mercy.

When their ride of terror reached an end, Leia was not certain wether to be happy or anxious because he set the ship down in the belly of a Separatist cruiser. As the engines switched off, Leia was still left clinging to the seat. "He's an even worse pilot than you," Leia hissed to her brother.

"I don't measure my skill by your inability to stomach it," Vader spoke lowly, rising from his seat and opening up the cockpit. The twins clambered from their seats and onto the floor, reluctantly toddling after him. They exited the ship into the cavernous, but scarily empty hangar beyond. Only a few battle and maintenance droids were attending to some damaged vulture droids. He strode away from them and once again the children were forced to move their legs rapidly to keep up. 

Droids were giving them odd looks as they scuttled past, but none challenged Vader about their presence. Before long, he'd led them to the detention block. The droids at the entrance were the first to ask who he was submitting, but he didn't respond, instead informing them that they should keep quiet about the twins if they ever wanted to see another day. 

The Sith led them to a little cell that had zero features other than the metallic floors and wall. The twins didn't need to ask before they trudged in. Lifting a hand he, obliterated the camera in the corner with the force. "Try anything, and I'll be the one dealing with you," Vader's voice carried a warning as he stood in the doorway. Leia shot him the foulest glare she could muster. 

"Are you going to leave us in here and forget about us?" she asked. "I certainly wouldn't mind that."

"I'm going to leave you in here and keep you out of my way," he spoke darkly. "Don't try anything, and you won't have to see me for some time." He certainly knew how to make it sound appealing. He moved to seal them in.

"Father," Luke spoke, making Vader pause. The inscrutable mask tilted towards him. "You don't have to do all this," he continued. "There is good within you and I know it objects to all of the terrible things you're doing. Please, stop."

"It is too late for me... my son," Vader spoke cautiously. 

"No, it's not," Luke argued, taking a few timid steps towards him. "We are from your future, remember?" The Sith was silent. "You turned back to the light. You killed the Emperor to save my life. With your dying breaths, you told me I was right and that there was good in you." With such a childish voice, it amazed Leia he didn't sound like he was having a tantrum when he ranted like this. Vader was perfectly still. "Father, please. You may have given up on yourself, but I haven't. Stop this madness."

There was a long beat of silence. Vader didn't twitch a muscle. Leia peered between the two men. Part of her wished she could see beneath the sith's mask to understand what he was feeling. 

"You will see, what I'm doing in this time is for the best," Vader joltingly returned to motion.

"You could make things catastrophic, there is no way to know how the butterfly effect with alter the future," Leia argued with a scowl. "We might never even be born."

"You don't have to worry about that," Vader responded dryly. Leia faltered. That meant Amidala, the woman they had just seen, was already carrying them? She'd somewhat come into contact with her past self. That information made her head spin. 

"Things could end up worse," Luke protested.

"So be it," Vader replied curtly, slamming his fist on the access panel and igniting the red field that kept them locked in. 

"Father!" Luke called out as Vader strode away. "Stop whilst you still can!" It was a plea that fell on deaf ears. Once again, the twins were locked in their lonesome in a war prison. A war they had no part in.


	22. Plans and Plotting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not saying there will definitely be a second chapter publish later today... but I am saying there is a high chance there will be another chapter published later today...

Vader was not a man who often felt stress. It crept up on him occasionally, but it was often nothing a space dogfight couldn't fix. As sat in the cockpit of his fighter ship, which was still perfectly stationary where he'd landed it, he found bands of panic tightening around his chest and skull. Tracing his finger around the buttons, he watched a few battle droids trying to load a ship with a few heavy crates. Where he would normally ponder his innate desire to cut them down, he was completely absorbed by other thoughts.

Luke had so boldly claimed that Vader had turned back to the light and the Sith had detected no lie. It couldn’t be possible. Everyone knew once you turned to the dark you could never go back. Yet still, Luke had been so sure. It made him think back to the holo he'd seen if Padmé just as she died. She too had sworn there was good in him. They were both wrong. They were deluded. Vader had crushed Skywalker years ago. She was on her death bed and Luke was a son too unwilling to forfeit his faith in his father. Foolishly so.

No light could exist in Vader anyway. Not after everything he'd done. He couldn't count the number of beings he'd killed. Even before he was Sith, he'd had more blood on his hands than most mass murderers. Staring down at his gloved palms, he wondered if they would do anything good ever again. If they ever would be Anakin’s hands once again. No, they wouldn't. Vader knew what he wanted and that was the whole galaxy. No push over, failure of a Jedi could get him that. No pathetic child could keep Padmé alive. No war hero could face off against Palpatine. What was needed, was Darth Vader.

One of the droids let out a yelp as a box it was loading fell back and crushed him. Vader rolled his eyes. He'd forgotten how dim witted those lumps of metal were. How had they ever held up in battle against Jedi? The weakness of the order, of course.

*

Ever since they had rescued Padmé from Modiea, she had been buzzing with anxiety. Obi-Wan hadn't thought much of it, considering it was probably her closest scrape with death, but as he listened to her explain her story to the Jedi council, he was beginning to ponder if she was concerned Vader wanted to use her. Yet a feeling in his gut told him differently. Now she was back at the Republic centre, she was visibly distracted. By what, he had no idea. Obi-Wan simply hoped it wasn't as obvious to the Jedi council as it was to him.

In the little, round room with a painted, mural floor, she stood at the centre. Most of the council seats were filled, predominantly with blue holos. Bright streams of daylight filtered in through the window. She was standing tall, her shoulders back and her head high. The perfect political posture.

"Thank you for sharing this with us, Amidala," Mace hummed. "If you notice anything strange that could be connected to the Sith, or that might have followed you back from Modiea, don't hesitate to get in touch." Padmé dipped her head.

"Mention, Master Kenobi has, that overhear Vader's conversation with the twins, you did," Yoda spoke calmly, blinking his big eyes up towards her. 

"I did," she responded, nodding her head. "It seemed to me like they had quite a bit of history." Obi-Wan folded his hands together. Many of the Jedi traded long looks. This would only add more backing to the truth of the twin's story.

"Tell us what you remember," Obi-Wan prompted her.

Padmé let out a long breath, her eyes glazing over slightly. "At first, I think it took Vader a moment to recognise them, and then he oddly mentioned that they weren't children?" she sounded uncertain with her wording, but none of the Jedi batted an eye. "They seemed to be asking him to give up his campaign with the Separatists but he mentioned having bigger goals." A few council members shifted in their seats. "The little boy seemed to think they could resolve things peacefully, but the little girl condemned him for ruining her life in the past." She furrowed her brows. "I think that's all I can really recall."

"Thank you," Mace expressed his gratitude, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You are free to go now." Dipping her head, she strode out of the room and left them in deafening silence. "We were right," Windu stroked his chin. "The Solos were telling us the truth." 

"What could Vader be planning?" Ki Adi Mundi pondered out loud. That was something even Kenobi didn't want to think about.

"With the loss of Modiea, the Separatists have been pushed even further back into the outer rim," Kit Fisto agreed. "It seems like he has done nothing but accelerate their demise."

"Worrying, this is," Yoda nodded. 

"I firmly believe our best chance to stop him would be an alliance with the solo twins," Obi-Wan commented.

"I agree," Windu nodded his head. "You and Skywalker should find a way to liberate them." Obi-Wan nodded. He would happily go back for the twins. Leaving them with the Sith had felt wrong. Even if they were technically adults, they were still very small and very vulnerable.

*

Luke watched as Leia paced back in forth in the cell. She would walk from end to end before quickly changing direction and turning back around. He had been trying to peacefully submerse himself in the force but her irritation was swirling around her like a storm. It had been like this ever since Vader left. Luke could feel his father on the other side of the ship. Unlike her pure rage, his presence was a swirl of mixed emotions. What Luke had said had torn his resolution and that was the most positive sign the child Jedi could have asked for.

"We need to get out of here," Leia halted before him, planting her hands on her hips. He peered up at her, his brows furrowing. "We are not going to let ourselves rot."

"I don't know, Leia," Luke shook his head. "We were trying to get to Vader and now we are with him, I really think we can save him." She shot him a dry look.

"Luke, I know you are attached to him and I know he saved your life, but we cannot sit here idly while the rest of the galaxy at his actions," she planted her hands on her hips. "We don't even know what he is planning. We could be weeks or even days from catastrophe."

"I won't loose faith in him," Luke clambered to his feet. "I know he can be redeemed."

"No, he cannot," Leia snapped, her face reddening. "He is a monster. A creature. After all he has done, we would be showing him mercy by simply killing him." Her hands curled into fists. Her rage was fast fizzling out of control. "We can't sit back and let him reign terror once again."

"We wouldn't have to kill him or hurt him if we could get through to him," Luke gently gripped her upper arms. "If we can pull him to our side, maybe he'll even help us fix this mess." It was a long shot, but he had faith in the Anakin within Vader.

"The chances of that happening are so, incredibly small," Leia objected. "We must continue to fight him because he won't hesitate to slaughter the people we care about." She let out a sharp breath and crossed her arms over her chest. "He is evil. Don't forget that." Luke let out a long breath, releasing her and dropping his arms to his sides. As he pictured the temple in his mind, all the youthful and confident faces he had walked past, he realised his father would have no quarrel cutting them down. Choosing not fight his father was one thing, but choosing not to defend the Jedi was another.

"Alright," Luke sighed. "Just give me one more chance to speak to him." He shot her a pleading glance. Leia ground her teeth and let outa low grumble. 

"Nothing will come of it," she warned him. His gaze didn't waver. "Fine," she rolled her eye. The edges of his lips curled with gratitude. She let out a harsh breath. "I guess we need to fake escape before a real one then," this time, she smiled too.


	23. Reveal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kablam. Double-double update.  
> A lot of the story strands I created earlier are beginning to come together in my plan and I am so excited to see where they lead me, which is why I’ve been writing a posting so much recently. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Leia was lying on the metallic ground of the cell, her hands clasped over her stomach. Her mind was filtering through a few different escape plans. How long they'd been trapped, she didn't know. Time had blended into one never ending moment. She could hear her own heart beating and part of her wondered if a scream would echo around her forever. This situation reminded her starkly of the cell she'd been held in on the Death Star. Vader had been the one to lock her up then too. Her hands curled into fists. The image of her planet exploding into thousands of pieces was seared on the back of her eyelids. Burning anger leaked into her veins, coursing through her body. Letting out a long breath, she smoothed out her clothing. Holding on would do nothing. If they managed to defeat Vader now, her planet and her parents could be salvaged.

"Hello," Luke's face appeared above hers, making her jolt slightly. There was a childlike innocence in his eyes. One she didn’t recognise.

"Have you thought of a way to get out of here and catch Vader's attention?" she asked, cocking a brow.

Luke's head tilted to one side, his brows furrowing. "I don't know where I am," his voice was small and weak. Upset flashed across his features, his bottom lip wobbling. Leia slowly pushed herself to sit up. He was perched awkwardly atop his legs, his little eyes flicking around. "Do you know where we are?" he queried.

"Really?" she snapped, narrowing her eyes. He certainly chose his timings for stupid jokes like these.

"Sorry," he blurted immediately, shrinking in on himself. "I didn't mean to be rude," he spoke bashfully, casting his eyes to the ground. "My name is Luke," he offered her his hand in greeting. Leia stared at it blankly, confusion whirling within her. The force flowing through him was a painful trickle compared to a normal, overflowing river. Her lips pressed into a thin line. There was a youthful ring to his presence. The stoic calmness she had come to know so well was replaced with jitters and skittishness. 

"Luke," she repeated slowly. He nodded. "Do you... know who I am?" she asked cautiously. He shook his head, wrapping his arms around himself. Fear welled up inside of her, making it difficult to breathe. Concern cracked his features. "What is the last thing you remember?" she swung herself around to face him.

"I don't know," he mumbled, shrugging his shoulders. "I just want to go home," he breathed out. "Back to uncle Owen and Aunt Beru." For the first time, she noticed the fine tremble in his hands.

"They won't know you in this time," Leia shook her head. His brows crinkled in confusion. "In our time, they're dead."

Luke's jaw went slack, his face filling with horror. It was an expression quickly replaced by vacant eyes and a blank face. He blinked his eyes slowly, the calming serenity slowly returning to him. His brows crumbled and he rubbed his forehead with the heel of his palm.

"Luke?" Leia spoke in a small voice. He peered up at her with bleary eyes.

"What just happened?" he groaned. "I feel like I've just dropped out of a mental black hole."

"You forgot who I was," Leia told him, tightness winding around her chest. "You were asking for your aunt and uncle." Luke's eyes went wide. "You were acting the same age as your body."

*

As Padmé set her speeder down on the marble balcony, her mind was spinning. The city around her buzzed with speeders and the sky was tangerine on the horizon. The distant traffic was roaring with whooshing air and honking horns. All she could think of was the interest on the faces of the Jedi council. What Padmé had overheard, she thought was utter nonsense or a misinterpretation, but they had looked at her as though it was something completely sane. Maybe they were just being polite. Deciding to put it from her mind, she let out a long sigh and clambered off of her bike.

Adjusting her clothes, she turned back towards her apartment just in time to see a figure in black robes racing out towards her. There was barely enough time to brace herself before Anakin smacked into her and crushed her into a hug. Padmé's lips curled into a smile and she swiftly returned his embrace. He let out a delighted groan before quickly breaking away from her and gripping her shoulders tightly. "You're okay? You really weren't hurt?" he asked, his brows shooting up. Those terrified eyes she'd seen on the ship were scanning her, narrowing at her bandaged shoulder.

"I'm fine," she reminded him softly

"They all kept telling me you were dead," his voice cracked with emotion and his expression twisted in pain. Padmé's gut twisted. Hearing people say that can't have been easy. Especially not when it was one of his worst fears. She had no idea how she'd react to something like that, but he'd never given up faith in her. Not once.

Reaching out, she gently took his human hand and placed it over the pulse in her neck. "You can feel that, can't you?" she asked. He gave her a little nod. "Then I'm still alive." His stare held onto her, still trembling with emotion. Pursing her lips to one side, she reached up and gently took his face in her hands. He leaned into her touch instinctively. "I'm fine," she promised him softly. He blew out a soft sigh. "I'm perfectly alive," she assured him tenderly.

Nodding his head, he gently pulled her arms away from his face and squeezed her into a tight hug. His cloak all but consumed her. He tucked her head under his chin and the steady thump of his heart made itself known. The musky sweetness she loved so much filled her senses. A smile curled her lips and her eyes fluttered shut. It hit her, how deeply she missed him. Tension and stress seemed to just ebb away. All that mattered in that moment, was them. Like two sea pups holding hands in the middle of the ocean, he was all she needed.

A single thought hit her like a strike of lightning. The baby. She had to tell him about the baby. Her eyes snapped open wide. Instantly, she was wracked with shakes and her heart started pounding in her chest. Every muscle in her body went ridged and she forgot how to breath. Boiling panic spiked her insides, churning her guts. 

"Padmé?" Anakin gently pulled away, staring down at her with a furrowed brow. "What's wrong?" Of course he had instantly detected her change in mood. She bit her lip as she stared up at him with wide eyes. "Is something wrong?" he repeated himself, gently taking hold of her shoulders. 

"We need to talk," she informed him, flicking her eyes around. His mouth opened a fraction, his eyes widening and his body rigidifying. "There is something I have to tell you, but we should go inside first," her eyes darted around at the traffic whizzing past.

"You're thinking about someone else," he growled, his eyes narrowed to slits and his grip on her shoulders tightened. Padmé paused. Anakin could sense her thoughts of the baby, just as Vader had. "Is there someone else?" his expression twisted with anger and he took a step back from her.

"No, of course not," she scolded him lightly. That was all he needed to be placated. His anger switched out with confusion. He cocked his head to one side, staring down at her cautiously. With a gentle sigh, she gripped his hand and led him into the apartment. His eyes widened at her shaking palm. Nevertheless, he followed her with no quarrel into her living space. It was small, but predominantly open plan. Everything was a mix of blue and grey colours. A set of angled couches took up the centre and sat atop a fluffy carpet. Just seeing this place filled her with warmth and eased a little of her trembling.

Perching down on one of the couches, she watched as he cautiously lowered himself to sit perpendicular from her. "What's going on?" he spoke, his eyes surveying their surroundings. Reaching out, she gripped his hands into her own.

"Anakin, I'm-," she paused, the words getting caught in her throat. 

"Is this the sort of news a shot would make easier?" he half jested, shifting on his seat. The trepidation in his face grew tenfold. He looked like he was staring down at a detonator with no idea if it was active or not.

"No, it's a good thing," she chuckled lightly. Disbelief crossed his expression as he flicked his eyes down to her shaky hands. "It'll just mean big changes." Again, his head tilted to one side. "I'm pregnant," she blurted it out. For half a second, his face went blank. Her heartbeat sped up, rocking her whole body. Then, it seemed the words hit him. His face displayed a carousel of emotions, finally settling on a wide grin that crinkled his eyes.

"Really?" he whispered, leaning in closer. His eyes were twinkling with joy. She nodded rapidly, a wry grin stretching her lips. Slowly, her heartbeat began easing a little. "That's wonderful," his smile got even wider.

Padmé didn't want to dampen his mood, but there were a lot of thing that needed discussed. "I won't be able to hide it forever," she informed him gently, her smile slipping slightly. "In a few months, I'll have to return to Naboo."

"I'll come with you," he answered like it was plain as day. "I'll leave the order and come with you." His smile faltered a little, but he was still practically beaming.

"What about the war?" she asked meekly.

"I don't think there is much left in it," he admitted. "The Separatist are completely cornered." He let out a long sigh, his shoulders slouching. "I think I've done my fair share of fighting too." The smile warped into a scowl and his head fell towards the ground. "I don't know how much more of it I can take."

Scooting towards him, she leaned over and gently grasped his chin, lifting his head to peer at her. "Like you said, not much longer now," she whispered, delicately tucking back a strand of his hair with her thumb. "Before you know it, it'll just be the three of us on Naboo." The smile returned.

"I can't wait," he uttered softly. "We'll be able to see each other whenever we want," his eyes twinkled. She nodded, her heart squeezing in delight. "We won't have to sneak around anymore." Again, she nodded with a smile. He brought one of her hands to his mouth and delicately kissed her fingers. "We won't have to hide the truth." He gave her a look of such obvious affection, her heart stuttered. "Now everyone will know you're mine," he mumbled.

"Always," she replied softly. The was a long beat of silence, followed. It was filled with warm tingles and happy buzzing.

"How far on are you?" Anakin asked, his eyes flicking down to her stomach.

"Three months," she replied, gently stroking her stomach.

"A product from the last time we were together," he hummed, a sly grin warping his features. "So it's your fault."

"My fault?" her brows lifted incredulously. Jutting her jaw to one side and crossing her arms. "I seem to remember you were pretty keen too." He let out a guilty laugh, squeezing her knee with one hand.

"Can I see?" he asked gently.

"There is not much to look at yet," she sighed, nevertheless standing to her feet and pinching the hem of her shirt with her teeth. She unbuttoned her trousers, giving a clearer view of her stomach. It was raised, certainly, but not much more than it would be if she had simply overeaten. Still, Anakin was transfixed. Reaching out, he placed his warm palm on her stomach. His fingers splayed out and wonder made his eyes widen.

"There's a baby in there?" his voice hitched. "Is it a boy or a girl?" he stared up at her with glittering eyes.

"I asked the doctor only to tell me if it was healthy or not. I wanted a surprise," she responded calmly.

"I like that idea," he smiled, leaning forwards and placing a soft kiss on her abdomen. "Come here," he hummed, shuffling back and twisting her around before dragging her down between his legs. She laid back against his chest as he laid his palms out flat on her stomach once more. He went still, his body relaxing beneath her.

"What are you doing?" she giggled, staring at the back of his hands.

"I want to see if I can-," he paused, taking in a sharp breath.

"What is it?" she asked, startling slightly.

"I can feel it," he murmured, his thumb stroking gentle circles on her skin. "A tiny, little light deep inside you." Her brows shot up. He was using the force to sense their child. Warmth collected in her eyes, her smile curling her lips. "I would never have noticed it if I hadn't known it was there... but I can actually feel it." He let out a breathy laugh of delight.

Twisting over herself slightly, she planted a kiss on the curve of his jaw. Smiling down at her, he lifted his arms from her stomach and wrapped then tightly around her chest. Folding her arms over his, she leaned her head back down on his shoulder and closed her eyes over. His warmth cocooned her. Any remaining tension slipped from her body. She basked in his scent and let herself succumb to his embrace. 

"I love you, Padmé," he whispered gently in her ear.

"I love you too, Ani," she purred in response.


	24. Deployment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much happened in this chapter, but fear not, the next one has more going on.  
> Enjoy!

It had been a few hours since Luke's loss of memory, but he felt no different than he had before. To think he had reverted to the mental age of his body was terrifying, but they had deemed it something to look into later. It was likely just a side effect of being stuffed back into his younger body. He couldn't let that little miss-hap get in the way and it might never happen again. 

So, both twins were standing on either side of the flickering field locking them up and were invisible to an outsider looking in. Occasionally they would send one another a stare of boredom or irritation, but remained perfectly silent. A pair of B1 droids clanked down the hallway towards them. Luke pressed himself against the wall, taking in slow and deep breaths. The droid footsteps halted before the cell.

"Are there supposed to prisoners in here?" One of them asked with their distinctive robotic twang.

"If the field is up, then there are supposed to be prisoners," the other battle droid replied. "Hello? Is anyone in there?" it called. The twins remained silent. "Contact the desk and ask if surveillance can pick up anything,” it spoke again after a moment.

"Rodger," the first responded. Leia bounced on the balls of her feet. "Hey, are there any prisoners in cell B42?" There was a quiet response. "The feed is broken?" he gasped. Luke only needed to faintly hear the droids response to know it was 'Roger'. "I guess we should go in and check then," he sighed.

"Roger," his partner replied. The second the field disabled, the twins sprung out of their hiding spots and with a flick of Luke’s hand, one of the droids was torn apart. Its dying screams turned to metallic groaning. Scooping up one of their blasters, Leia shot the cell's access panel and it burst into a variety of molten hot, mechanical parts. Nodding to him, they both retreated into the cell.

"Prisoners escaping!" The remaining B1 droid exclaimed, raising his blaster to shoot. Luke tugged it from his grip with a single flick of his fingers. "Armed prisoners!" it screamed, running away with surprising pace. Red lights began flashing and an alarm blared in the hallways. Leia retreated to the far side of the cell, slumping down in the corner. Luke settled at the centre. 

Within a matter of seconds, blaster nozzles were aimed at them from the doorway. "Stay in there, or we'll shoot!" one of the battle droids warned.

"Yeah, we won't hesitate to shoot you!" another agreed. 

"We won't move," Luke answered calmly and all three droids froze.

"What do we do now?" One of them asked, peering at the others. Before any of them could respond, there was a slash of red that cut through all of them in one. Their bodies crumped to the floor. Vader stepped over them and into the mouth of the cell. The force buzzed around him like a hive of disturbed wasps.

"Prisoners are secure," Vader drawled into his comm and Luke could feel his eyes narrowing at them from behind his mask. The alarms and blaring lights were silenced. He took a few steps in, sheathing his scarlet blade and clipping it to his belt. "There had better be a good reason for this," he warned them darkly.

"What are you trying to do in this time?" Luke asked him, not wavering from his gaze.

"That is none of your concern," he snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"You're back here for personal reasons, aren't you?" Luke pushed, the force whispering in his ear. Silence was his only response. "Are you really willing to destroy the lives of the people in this time for your own gain?" 

"Yes," he replied darkly.

"What about Padmé?" Luke pressed. "Do you think she would want to watch the Empire rise? Do you think she would condone what you are doing?"

"It matters not what she wants or thinks because I have the hindsight she simply does not," he snapped. Luke pressed his lips into a thin line. "What will come of the galaxy is for the best." Leia let out a sarcastic snort, pulling his attention to her. "I wouldn't expect a naive girl to understand."

"Well this naive girl has watched your Empire fall from its peak," she replied sharply. "No amount of power or knowledge makes you undefeatable, Vader."

"We shall see," he answered dryly, backing out of the cell and motioning for two battle droids close by. "Take them to a new cell," he huffed. "Make sure they can be seen at all times."

*

Padmé was used to waking up in vast spaciousness of an empty bed, so when she woke up smiling and warm, she instinctively knew Anakin was with her. Meek light streamed in through their thin blinds, illuminating the tiny specs of dust that floated in the air. The sweet scent of fresh linen graced her senses. She was cocooned beneath the abnormally warm bedsheets. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, she flattened herself out on her back and glanced over at Anakin. He was facing away from her, the soft whooshing of his breath making his side rise and fall. A small smile lifted her lips.

Curling into his back, she draped an arm over his side. He let out a low rumble, placing his hand over her own. She relished in the heat of his skin, letting her eyes flutter shut and pressing her forehead between his shoulders. Relaxation settled over her like a blanket of warmth. 

"I can't wait to wake up to this every morning," his voice rumbled with sleep. Interlacing their fingers, he brought her hand to his mouth and delicately kissed her palm. 

"I get the strong feeling that much depends on wether or not the baby is an early riser," Padmé answered with a chuckle. "Although I promise I'll do this as often as I can."

"I can settle for that," he breathed, stroking small circles on her wrist with his thumb. A few moments of perfect silence slipped through her fingers. "What do you think the kid is going to look like?" Anakin hummed, his voice vibrating in his back.

Padmé paused, pondering his question. Any child she tried to picture just ended up looking like a replica of her or Anakin. It was impossible to craft one puzzle from two different ones when you didn’t even know what pieces to use. "I hope he has your eyes," she hummed wistfully.

"You think it'll be a boy?" he asked, pulling himself delicately from her arms and lying down flat beside her. His eyes regarded her curiously.

"I think it will be a little guy," she smiled. "Call it a mother's intuition," she shrugged.

"I don't know, I get the feeling it'll be a little girl," he responded with a warm smile. 

"No, I think you just want a little girl," she teased, scooting closer and resting her head on his shoulder. 

"I'd be happy with either," he smiled, gently stroking her face with his hand. "Although a little girl will be easier than a little boy." 

"I don't know about that," Padmé chuckled. "I knew some pretty vicious girls growing up." That prompted a laugh from him and he settled his cheek atop the crown of her head. "No, I mean it," she chuckled, swatting his arm. "I once saw a two girls in a fight and one of them pulled out scissors." He only laughed further. "Why do I feel like you'd cheer our daughter on if she did something like that," she sighed.

"No, I'd definitely tell her off," Anakin stroked her hair and she felt his lips twist into a smile. "If she is going to pull out a surprise weapon, it should be a lightsaber." Padmé lightly swatted him again when he burst out laughing once more. 

"I swear to goodness, Anakin Skywalker," she chuckled, lifting her head to peer into his eyes. "I am not afraid to give you into trouble too."

"I don't doubt that," he murmured, gently cupping one of her cheeks with his hand. She leaned into his touch, the mental image of their child whipping out a lightsaber mid fight replayed in her mind.

"Are you going to teach it about lightsabers?" she asked, tilting her head to one side. He paused, his eyes glassing over as they held her stare. She could see his mind turning the idea over. Thought crinkled his expression.

"I think it would be a waste of natural ability if I didn't," Anakin responded eventually, tracing circled on her shoulder. "I have no doubt the order will want the kid, but I can always teach it about the force if it wants to learn."

"You are a good teacher," Padmé agreed, delicately kissing his chest. "Ahsoka's brilliance is enough testament to that." His expression shifted as though he was pained.

"I failed Ahsoka," his voice cracked and his brows furrowed. He sat up, causing Padmé to sit up with him. "She felt she had to leave the order. I could've done more." He glared down at the bedsheets. Letting out a small breath, she wondered how best to approach this situation. 

"You did right by her," Padmé curled a few fingers beneath his chin and gently tilted his head up. "I know she saved my life plenty and was a remarkable Jedi." She brushed a few locks of his hair back from his eyes. "What happened to her wasn't your fault and if anyone can make it out there in the galaxy, it's her. You've given her more than enough of a skill set to work with." Anakin let out an unconvinced hum, but, instead of replying, chose to pull her into his arms. She allowed him to bundle her close and wrapped her own arms around his neck.

Their peace was disturbed when a loud been cut through the air. Padmé's gut tensed when she heard the noise. With a heavy sigh, he twisted over himself and plucked his communicator from his side table. "Skywalker here," he answered, squeezing her a little closer into his chest. 

"We have our next assignment," Obi-Wan's voice announced. Padmé blinked her eyes shut, hot warmth immediately springing to them. "We are rescuing those twins." A dread so crushing she couldn't breath settled over her. No matter what she did or thought of, it wouldn't shift and it wouldn't ease.

"Good," Anakin responded. "Leaving them with Vader felt... wrong."

"Indeed," Obi-Wan sighed. "Get to the temple as soon as you can, we'll be departing in a few hours."

"Yes, master," Anakin responded. There was a beep as the line was cut. With a sigh, he dumped the communicator onto the bed and cuddled her a little closer. Padmé burrowed her face into his neck, a lump rising in her throat. Squeezing her eyes shut, a few tears leaked from them and splattered onto his shoulder. "Are you crying?" his voice hitched in surprise.

"No," she sniffled. 

Anakin pushed at her shoulders gently and she sat back onto his lap, staring up at him through a watery stare. His face was a shimmering, hazy mess. Still, she could make out the distinctive sight of his shoulders drooping. 

"Hey, its a simple rescue mission," he purred, brushing away one of her tears with his thumb. "I'll probably be back within a few days." Her bottom lip wobbled and more tears streamed from her eyes. "Oh Padmé," he murmured, taking her face in his hands. "Just think, a few more months and I won't have to leave you again."

"You promise?" she whimpered.

"You'll be sick of me always hanging by your side, I swear it," he chuckled lightly. She gave him a wavering smile, blinking the tears from her eyes to catch sight of his solemn expression.

"Just make sure you come back safe, okay?" she blew out a shaky breath.

"I always do," he responded, dipping down and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. That was the only assurance she needed to settle back into his arms for just a little while longer. "I don't mean to be insensitive, Padmé... but you don't normally react like this when I have to go," he hummed. She closed her eyes over. "Is there something wrong?"

"I have a bad feeling about this, Anakin," she replied softly. He blew out a long breath, squeezing her close. 

"Me too," his voice cracked.


	25. Space Fight (Creative, I know)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...enjoy!

Obi-Wan couldn't help but squirm slightly under the hefty weight that was pressing on his shoulders. The small stealth ship he and Anakin were in loomed at the edge of an ongoing dogfight between the Separatists and the Republic. Blast trails created a spiderweb-like network that weaved the vast emptiness of space. Ships were zipping all around, many exploding in a brilliant display of colour that sent deadly projectiles spraying all over the place. Life after life after life was slipping away into the force. Anakin's eyes were glazed as he peered out across the battle. His presence was letting out a low tremble. 

A dark shadow was looming over them, so thick and toxic it was nearly impossible to feel anything else. "Obi-Wan," Anakin spoke quietly, catching the master's attention. Soft wrinkles cracked his features. His mouth opened to say something, but his mind snapped in a different direction. It seemed even he didn't want to discuss the oncoming disaster. "How much longer do you think this war will take?"

"It's impossible to say for sure," he responded calmly, folding his hands into his sleeves. "I hope it will end quickly, but with the addition of this new Sith, it'll be impossible to know for sure."

"But the Separatists are loosing ground in the outer rim," Anakin objected quietly, shifting in his seat. "It can't be long until we completely corner them." 

"If this physical war was the only one we are fighting, I would agree," Obi-Wan sighed. "Unfortunately, we are also grappling with the Sith in a battle that we are blind to." Anakin peered up at him with a saddened, weary stare. Obi-Wan's gut sank. Anakin was one of the council's favourite tools in the war. He was worked a lot harder than most with little time for respite and recovery. He was due more than just meditative leave. "This will all be a bad dream some day," Obi-Wan assured him softly, gently grasping his shoulder.

"I think..." the young knight let out out a pain breath. "After the war, I'm going to leave the order." His eyes flicked up to observe his master. Obi-Wan paused, his brows shooting up. A memory flashed into his mind. A memory of his last encounter with Padmé. She'd been preoccupied with someone else and uncharacteristically bashful and shy. Closing his eyes, he nodded gently. It would have been foolish of him to assume Anakin would stay with the order forever. As much as Obi-Wan wanted his brother to stay by his side, he knew it would be unfair to ask that of him. Especially when the only time he saw true happiness in Anakin's eyes, was around Padmé.

"I've heard Naboo is the perfect place for retirement," Obi-Wan commented, giving Anakin a saddened smile. "Scenic and very peaceful."

"I do love it there," Anakin murmured, the corners of his lips curling upwards. They settled into silence once more. A blanket of dread and cold had been lain over the top of them. Again, Obi-Wan found himself observing the space battle and wondering just how many more he'd have to see. For him, none would have sufficed.

"Vader has been located in the airfight," Yularen's voice barked abruptly from their comm unit. "The second phase is ready for action." 

"We'll be back before you know it, admiral," Anakin chirped with false cheer, firing up his ship's engines and shooting off towards the largest, hulking cruiser. He dipped in and out of the intense battle swerving all attacks and flipping around droids. Obi-Wan gripped onto the edges of his seat, his knuckles going white. Her felt his organs flipping and rolling around one another.

Luckily, it wasn't long until they touched down in one of the cruiser's mighty hangars. it was practically empty, aside from a few squadrons of droids. Without thinking, the Jedi burst out from their ships with their weapons swinging and mowed down their opponents. Obi-Wan pulled a steady stream of the force through himself. He immersed himself in the lull of the battle. His muscles moved of their own mind, batting away all of the blaster bolts and cutting through all the droids. Both he and Anakin could move in perfect synchronisation. Together, they decimated the enemy forces in a matter of clicks. 

Panting, the pair sent each other a small smile of victory as they stood over the metallic corpses. "Can you feel the twins?" Obi-Wan asked, scanning the force for their supernatural brightness.

"They feel quite close to the centre," Anakin noted, staring off in that direction. "I'd guess they are in the detention block." He clipped his saber to his belt. 

"That would be the most sensible place to start," Obi-Wan remarked, tucking away his own weapon.

*

The moment the ship had begun shuddering from blasts, the twins knew this was their prime opportunity to escape. Leia was snooping out the crackling field that kept them locked in their cell and bouncing on her feet. A few droids ran by screaming, but none of them were stopping. "Stupid droids," Leia growled beneath her breath.

"Stay calm," Luke reminded her. "Getting worked up will only hinder your decision making." She sent him a sharp glare, at which he responded with an unwavering look of encouragement. Sucking in a deep breath, she calmed her senses. There was a way out. There had to be. 

"Here," Luke murmured, slipping to her side. Closing his eyes, she felt him manipulating the force into a nimble finger that toyed with the cell's access panel. The field locking them in dissolved into thin air.

"You couldn't have done that earlier?" she grumbled.

"I wanted you to try it first," he admitted. With a huff of breath, she ducked out of the cell and began racing out of the detention block. Her feet thudded against the ground and her head was lowered. They needed to get out of the ship. A wide exit came into view, leading out into the detention block's primary checkpoint. Escape. "Leia, wait!" Luke cried after her.

It was too late. Leia skidded our into a room packed full of battle droids. Their heads snapped around towards her. A single beat of tense silence rang out, then, their bodies whirred as their blasters snapped up towards her. Muttering a curse beneath her breath, Leia leapt back into the safety of the corridor. Both she and Luke pressed themselves to the wall as an onslaught of blaster fire blew past them. 

"Any garbage shoots nearby?" Luke jested lightly. Leia's eyes scanned their surroundings, landing on one nearby.

"We can't go down it, we don't have R2 to stop the compressor," Leia hummed, shifting as a blaster bolt whizzed a little too close to her face. "We could swing out and disarm them in one big pull," she suggested.

"If we miss even one, we could end up dead," Luke replied, his brow crinkling slightly.

"Its better than becoming target practice," she retorted. He nodded, and they tensed to to move. The blasterfire stopped abruptly and the sound of humming lightsabers filled her ears. The twins traded a look and peered out into the check point. Two streaks of coloured light were slicing easily through the droids, leaving nothing but scrap metal in their wake.

When the last one was cut down, the two Jedi halted and Leia instantly recognised them to be Anakin and Obi-Wan. Her gut twisted. The last thing she needed to deal with was another Vader. The Jedi's eyes flicked up to peer at them.

"You two are turning out to be quite the trouble makers," Anakin scolded. Leia rolled her eyes, but Luke withheld a smile. One day, she would be sure to make him regret speaking to her like a child.

"A simple thank you for keeping Amidala and you two out of Vader's way would suffice," Leia replied dryly, sulking out of her hiding space and following behind Luke as he padded over to the two Jedi.

"Yet here we are, rescuing you both now," Anakin responded dryly. "We're even." Leia craned her head up at him just to give him an indignant stare. 

"Thank you," Luke dipped his head at the Jedi. 

"At least one of them knows their manners," Anakin snorted, sending Leia a smug look. A loud beep from his comm made him lift it to his mouth. "Skywalker," he greeted them.

"General, it's Vader," Admiral Yularen began. "He has vanished from the battlefield." Leia's gut dropped to her feet, her blood running cold. The Jedi traded a long look.

"We've got the twins and we're leaving now," Obi-Wan informed him, speaking quickly into his comm.

"Get going," Anakin lightly pushed the children's shoulders and all four of them began running through the halls. The twins moved as fast as they could, and the Jedi jogged at their sides. Again, they were weaving through the huge complex and avoiding the droids where they could. A cold spot in the force was swirling around the ship. Leia's heart was pounding in his chest. They were silent, all focused on only one goal. Getting out alive.

They were steadily getting closer and closer to where Leia assumed the hangar would be. They'd had no hurdles. Not until they approached the final stretch. That, was when they rounded a corner and saw Vader storming up towards them. Her body rigidified at the sight of his fanned out cloak.

"This way," Obi-Wan called, gripping their shoulders and leading them down a different hallway. It was stubby and short, with a pair of sturdy doors at the bottom. They made a break for it, Anakin slamming on the access panel. The door whooshed open. All four of them scrambled out onto a small ledge that poked into a huge ventilation shaft that descended into pure blackness. On the opposite side, there was another ledge that reached over to them with a precariously thin bridge.

Vader skidded into the corridor behind them. Obi-Wan and Luke were the first to race out into the bridge and Anakin sliced the door’s access panel with his saber to permanently close it. The bridge dislocated from the wall, retreating towards the opposite side with Luke and Obi-Wan in tow. Just as their door began sliding shut, the force wrapped around Leia, tugging her back into the hallway with Vader. The moment the door hissed shut, her heart dropped.

There was barely any time to collect her senses before Vader wrapped a hand around her neck and lifted her clean from the floor. She let out a choked wheeze, grappling at his wrist to ease the pressure. A sapphire blade plunged through the locked door, the metal around it turning molten hot and glowing violently orange.

"It's too risky to leave you alive," Vader growled, his crimson blade igniting. He lifted her above his head, his blade twitching to strike. She fought against his grip, letting out choked wheezes. "You won't be gone forever. You'll be reborn into a better future," he reasoned with himself. "I'll see you again, Leia," he spoke softly, swinging his blade around.

Leia squeezed her eyes shut, curling into a ball. A slight breeze blew over her cheek, the violent hum of a lightsaber buzzed in her ear and the slight heat it emitted stung her skin. Peeling an eye open, she stared down at Vader. His crimson blade had halted beside her head. It's vibrant colour reflected on his mask. Not a single muscle twitched in either of them. The molten metal of the door crackled and spat. Her breath was hard and sharp.

"I don't know how I didn't see it before," Vader murmured, pulling her a little closer. "You... look just like your mother." His force presence warmed slightly.

"You'd better kill me right now," Leia snapped, narrowing her eyes to slits. 

"You have her attitude too," he noted, blowing out a long and heavy breath. Leia didn't have the chance to respond. The hole cut by Anakin burst out from the door and slammed straight into Vader's side. He was flung back dropping her to the ground. Pulling in a few ragged breaths, she jolted in surprise when two hands gripped her waist. Anakin hauled her into him, dashing to the ledge and flinging her into the air. Everything span and her organs did flips inside of her. Her vision blended into a blur. She landed with a thud, quickly realising she was in the waiting arms of Obi-Wan. 

A pained shout and a gasp caught her attention. Shaking the dizziness from her head, she stared back over the now huge gap between the two ledges. Anakin was standing where he'd thrown her, but a crimson blade was plunged into his side. He wore an expression of complete shock. Luke, Leia and Obi-Wan were motionless enough to be statues. Everything ground to a halt. Her heart stopped beating.

“Go,” Anakin hissed out a wheezing breath, but all three Jedi were rooted to the spot. He let out a wheeze as the blade retracted and his body crumpled down into the abyss below. His once brilliant force presence dulled into nothing. The stillness prevailed, even Vader was emitting cold shock as he stared down into the darkness of the shaft.

"No," Obi-Wan muttered softly beneath his breath. Fury and pain erupted into a full volcanic explosion within him. "What have you done!" he cried, his grip on Leia tightening. Vader's head slowly lifted towards them. 

"I've finally killed Anakin Skywalker," Vader mused. Obi-Wan hissed between his teeth, tears pricking his eyes. He lurched forwards as though he was going to act on the vengeance that burned within him, his grip growing so tight Leia winced. It drew his attention to her and she saw new resolution flicker behind his eyes.

Swivelling on his feet, Obi-Wan dragged the twins through the doors into the hangar and sliced the access panel from the other side, sealing them out of the ventilation shaft. Cold determination to not let Anakin's sacrifice be in vein burned within him. Racing to a Republic ship, she assumed was his, he wasted no time bolting in and firing up the engines. 

Luke and Leia staggered into the cockpit behind him as the ship lifted up from the ground and zipped out into space. "I have the twins," Obi-Wan spoke into a comm, heading straight through the mess of a battle towards the Republic cruiser. "General Skywalker... Anakin has fallen in action." His voice cracked and when Leia stared up at him, she saw emotion collecting in his eyes. His head fell into his hands. Luke slumped down to the floor, his presence swirling with crushing defeat and coldness. His jaw was slack and his face pale. His eyes squeezed into a pained expression. Anakin Skywalker was lost.


	26. Telegraph

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O.O  
> You all certainly to me off guard with your variety of reactions to the last chapter aha. I was not expecting something quite as explosive. Anyway, thank you for the kind comments and I hope you enjoy!

Padmé had been crushed by some unseen force ever since Anakin's departure. She hadn't eaten, she hadn't slept and she couldn't focus on her work in the slightest. All she could do was pace her apartment and assure herself he'd be fine. So, when Obi-Wan arrived at her door, completely alone, with an expression like the grave, she knew. 

Placing a hand over her mouth, she shook her head violently. "I'm sorry, Padmé," was all Obi-Wan could offer. The ground of Padmé's life just crumbled beneath her. The breath was stolen from her lungs. 

"N-no, Obi-Wan," she stuttered, shaking her head again and lifting her hands as though she could fend off what he'd just told her. "He can't be-," she let out a pained breath, a fine tremble rattling her frame. "He- he promised he'd come back," she argued, warm tears bubbled up into her eyes, trickling down her cheeks. "He said he'd always come back to me." Obi-Wan was silent and the light glittered on the long, wet streak that ran down his cheek. It was then, the true and crushing reality hit her. Anakin was gone. "No," she let out a sobbing wail, the whole room around her becoming a watery, hazy mess. 

Sinking to the floor, she couldn't stop the floods of tears that escaped her eyes. All she could think about was one image. Anakin, the baby and her living happily on Naboo. They'd been close to it. So close she could feel the warmth of his embrace welcoming her to the humid air of her home planet. The soft cooing of a baby filled her mind as he snuggled it close to his chest. Perhaps the most haunting thought of them all, was the three of them out together in public. They weren't doing anything spectacular, just strolling side by side, hand in hand, totally happy. There was no reason to hide the fact they truly, deeply loved one another. Now, none of that would ever come true. They'd never had the chance to be a family. They'd never had the chance to share their love. Anakin had never had the chance to be a father, and she knew he would have been great.

Obi-Wan crouched down beside her, pulling her body into a loose hug. Her single hand settled over her stomach. Their child would never know the greatness of their father. Never see his smile or know his soft chuckles. He would always be a blank spot, a vaguely familiar stranger to them. Wails wracked her. The incomprehensible sound of grief tore out of her. A noise she hadn't known herself capable of. Obi-Wan stayed with her, gently rubbing her back, until the sun began to set and her tears eased a little.

"We had so much planned," her voice wavered and cracked. "So much to do."

"You can still do them, Padmé," Obi-Wan spoke hardly above a whisper. She shook her head. The thought of going to Naboo alone left her with nothing but cold staleness. "If you think death is enough to keep him away from you, you know you're wrong," he assured her. She lifted her watery eyes up to look at his face. It was crumpled with misery. "I know, wherever he is, he'll be watching." Her lips curled downwards. "He'll be with you forever," he gestured to her heart. "He's stubborn. Don't think you'll be rid of his so easily." More tears spilled from her eyes and she clutched at the fabric over her heart. Internally, she cried out for him. A cry, he could never respond to. Burrowing her face into Obi-Wan's chest, she continued to sob, but it was painful and quiet.

*

Vader leaned back against a ridged pole. The room he found himself in was small and completely white. Different kinds of bleeps and whirs filled the still air. Large windows let in streams of powerful light that made square spotlights on the laminate flooring. A distant rumble of voices could be heard. Closing his eyes, he absorbed the lull and pull of the force. Most immediately, the building around him buzzed with life. There was no other place like this that had such a mix of emotions. In just the same floor, he could pick out misery, elation, dread, horror, disgust and fear. It was so pungent, so intense, it gave him a headache. 

Further off in the force, Vader could feel her. His angel. Where he was used to feeling a calm and serene light, all he could pick out was grief and loss. Even from so far he could feel her sobs. Her cries for him echoed loudly and were constantly tugging at his attention. No, it wasn't him she wanted, it was Anakin. The boy Jedi. The person he would never be again. Her misery was choking him. Not even when she'd come to visit him on Mustafar, had he felt her drowning so completely in emotion. It was him who'd inflicted her with it too. The guilt he felt sickened him, but her suffering wouldn't last long. This was for the best anyway. One day, she'd see this was for the best.

A buzz from inside his robes pulled him from his musings. Blinking his eyes open, he pulled a small communicator from his pocket. His gut twisted and irritation flared within him, but he answered it none the less. A small hooded figure flickered to life in his palm. From afar, Vader could sense Sidious's writhing fury. It lashed him with its blackened limbs and coiled around him as though it were trying to squeeze the living force from his body. "Sidious," Vader greeted him with cold detachment.

"I thought I told you to keep away from Kenobi and Skywalker," Sidious hissed.

"They came to me," Vader replied sharply. This man was not yet his master. He had no right to scold Vader like a child. Yet, he was forced to grit his teeth and bear it. He had to bear it, for the sake of his plans.

"Not only have you lost us a powerful asset, but killing Skywalker was an act of utter stupidity," Vader rigidified at that, his free hand clenching into a tight fist. "He is your past. With him gone, what is to stop you from being erased?" Vader had pondered this very question, but in the end concluded that if his actions in the past had any effect on the twins or him, they would already have experienced altered memories or a significant change to themselves. Then again, perhaps they had experienced those changes already and were completely unaware of it. No, those around them would have noticed something like that surely. 

"Those might be concerns if Skywalker were actually dead," Vader growled lowly. Stepping to the side, he displayed to the Sith the object he had been leaning on. It was the metal wrung of the foot of a hospital cot. Atop it, lay Anakin. All kinds of tubing were attached to him and his side was thoroughly wrapped in bandages. His cybernetic arm was missing, and the other one was cuffed to the bed. His expression wore the kind of neutrality that could only be achieved by unconsciousness so deep he wasn't even dreaming.

"His prognosis is good," Vader added. "He should be up and walking within a week and completely back to normal within a three."

"That is a long time to be out of action," Sidious spoke lowly.

"The Separatists are on the verge of defeat," Vader argued. "He will not be needed to assure Republic victory." His eyes flicked down to the sleeping man's face. "I'm aware of your plans to make him fall, and I want to aid you," Vader continued to explain. "I know him better than anyone. I know how to expose his insecurities, but I need time alone with him to do as such." Rolling his shoulders, he let out a long sigh. "I assure you his loyalty."

"This was your plan all along?" Sidious asked, his eyes narrowing to slits. 

"No," Vader stared blankly. "I saw an opportunity, and I took it."

"You had to half kill him to achieve that?" Sidious grumbled. 

"I needed him immobilised," Vader responded. At the time, he'd originally wanted to kill Obi-Wan and the twins, but he'd hesitated when he'd seen Padmé in Leia and he'd been unable to cross the ventilation shaft in time to reach them before they fled. It was a plan left half complete, but he was glad he'd at least achieved his main goal. Securing Skywalker.

"Your plan was foolish," Palpatine scolded him. Vader's temper boiled up, a nearby machine rattling. "I will hold you to your promise of his loyalty." The holo vanished, leaving Vader to stew in his rage like a scolded infant. Sucking in a deep breath, he reminded himself of everything that was at stake. His mind pictured a future of Sith Anakin ruling the galaxy with Padmé at his side. They could raise the twins properly. They could be a family and Vader, well he assumed he'd slip out of existence with the creation of a new time. Both him and the twins. Palpatine, he had big plans for. Vader was going to make sure that Sith was rotting long before his death. He would be begging to be killed. It was just a matter of patience and time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you really think I was going to kill him off? I do like to stir a little hehehe, but don’t worry. I won’t pull a quick one like that on you.  
> I double posted because I didn’t quite have the heart to leave you hanging overnight, so there might not be an update tomorrow. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!


	27. Twins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates are probably going to slow down as I a beginning to write a part of the story that requires a little more thought, plus I wore myself out by writing 20000 word in a week and could use a little break aha.   
> Anyway, enjoy!

Luke had felt a hollow numbness buzzing within him over the last few days. Ever since he'd watched his father cutting himself down, he couldn't help but think it was a statement. A bold, unmissable statement. There was no Anakin Skywalker. Not anymore. It was Vader. Just Vader. So, there was no point in searching for a dead man. 

The Jedi council had the twins back at the centre of their council chamber. Several sets of passive eyes rested on them. There was a slight pressure in the air. Everything seemed a little less colourful than normal. Some of the Jedi had cracks of stress or weariness on their faces he hadn't noticed before. "Luke, Leia," Mace addressed them, dipping his head and shuffling forwards in his seat. "I appreciate you were planning on aiding Skywalker and Kenobi when you snuck onto their ship, but if we are to continue working with one another then we must know what you are doing and when you are doing it. You have still to fully earn our trust." Luke half expected Leia to bit off Mace's head, but she remained quiet. Just like she had been since they escaped Vader's ship.

"We do apologise for acting without informing you first. It was not our intention to cause more issues," Luke explained quietly, rising to his full, short, height. 

"Had they not been there, I fear Anakin and I might have perished then and there," Obi-Wan defended them. There were cracks in his shielding that oozed suffering. It was a raindrop the the initial thunderstorm, but it was still there none the less. Mace let out a low hum.

"Amidala has also given us information that implies Vader himself confirmed that you have a long past and are adults trapped in the body of children," Ki Adi Mundi added.

"More freedom, we wish to give you, but accompanied, we would like you to be," Yoda added. Luke pressed his lips into a thin line. They were willing to work more closely with the twins, but still wanted to keep a close eye on them. Sharing a look, the twins dipped their heads in agreement.

"Thanks to the work of Master Fisto, we have devised a plan to deal with the betrayal of the clones," Mace spoke again and all eyes turned to the nautolan jedi.

"We have discovered that the clones still maintained perfect mental capacity with the chips removed," Kit Fisto informed them, folding his hands in his lap. "They don't become any more aggressive or disobedient either." So they were chipped like bots to betray the Jedi? No matter how foul Luke thought Palpatine was, he always seemed to be able to stoop lower. "So, we have begun to covertly and quietly remove the chips from the clones' heads under the guise of it being a routine medical examination."

"It will takes us a few months to get through the whole army, so we don't raise suspicion, but we will make steady progress," Windu added. Luke felt a little pressure easing off of him. That was one less thing he had to worry about, he supposed. "We were hoping to use your experience and knowledge to help us craft a plan to deal with Vader and Sidious."

"We will offer you everything we know," Leia assured him.

"Thank you. We will call on you soon," Mace told them. That was all the queue Obi-Wan needed to to rise from his seat and guide them out from the council chamber. His long robe swished along the marble flooring as he led them through the vast halls of the temple.

"I'll be taking you to one of our living quarters," Obi-Wan informed them, dropping back slightly to walk at their stride. "You should find everything you require within, but if there is anything else you need, don't be afraid to ask." 

"Thank you," Luke murmured with a smile. As they walked through the temple, he found it startling just how many Jedi there were. He hadn't met so many in his whole life as he'd just walked past in the corridors. It was starling to think such a vast order had faced such a big fall. By his time, the memories of the Jedi were nearly completely erased. It was a galaxy gone cold without them.

Stopping before a thick door in a hall of identical doorways, Obi-Wan pressed on the access panel. The door slid open, revealing a dusky and dark space beyond. He stood patiently, gesturing for them to enter. "May we speak with you in private, Master Kenobi?" Leia asked quietly, motioning into the living space. His brows lifted slightly, but he walked through the doorway none the less.

The twins followed him in. What greeted them was a very basic and bland living space with minimalistic seating and a beige carpet. A tiny kitchen was nestled into the side with a few outdated appliances scattered on the counter top. The twins perched on the seating and the Jedi master was quick to join them. "Is there something I can help you with?" he asked softly.

"We... don't think Knight Skywalker is dead," Leia informed him. Obi-Wan's brows crumpled, his face greying. "I know it sounds impossible, but when we were meditating we felt his light." They had been meditating together when Luke discovered the warm pulse he'd learned to recognise as his father.

"It's likely just an echo of his life," Obi-Wan informed them, pain crinkling his expression. "It'll fade in time." The force around him wavered like teary vision.

"We know more about Vader than we have fully admitted," Luke informed him. Obi-Wan let out a short breath, but bore no surprise. "There is reason to us withholding the information, and we strongly believe Vader would not have risked killing Anakin."

"Why would that be?" Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes, displeasure radiating off of him.

"Vader is Anakin," Leia informed him bluntly.

"He was once Anakin," Luke corrected her. 

Obi-Wan straightened up, leaned away from them slightly and scowled. "No, Anakin wouldn't betray the order," he argued. "He is a fine Jedi and loyal like no other I've met." Luke thought the denial was only natural, considering the fact Obi-Wan was his master. No teacher thought their lessons would be perverted and used against them.

"Well he does," Leia responded evenly, crossing her tiny legs. "We don't know why he fell, but he did, and trillions payed the price for it." Luke sent her a look of warning. Sensitivity was never her strong point, but the man before them had just lost a brother, now he was learning that in some not-so-distant future that same brother would turn on him.

Blowing out a long breath, Obi-Wan doubled over and pushed his face into his palms. "It is not too late to stop his fall," Luke assured him. "Good remains within him. In our time, he turned back to the light and saved me from the Emperor before his death."

"To save you?" Obi-Wan queried, lifting a head and cocking a brow. "I take it you were close?" The twins traded another long look. Luke supposed the more they told him, the more he would trust them.

"We are his children," Luke explained. 

"Naturally," Obi-Wan drawled, sitting back in his seat and letting out a long, huffing sigh. His eyes flicked between them, scanning them closely. No doubt he was searching for similarities to Anakin. Luke found it slightly startling that Obi-Wan was so placid about his padawan breaking the Jedi code, but perhaps with their bond he had already known to some degree.

"You can understand our reluctance to share this information," Luke continued. "We had no desire to expose Anakin and his secrets for the affect it might have had on his career."

"I appreciate that," Obi-Wan answered. There were unspoken words on his lips. Words that would imply not every other Jedi would think the same way. "I will honour your discretion and not speak of this without absolute necessity, but I should warn you Anakin does not like being kept in the dark. Especially not about something like this."

"We will handle whatever mood he enters if the need arises," Leia responded with a slight nip to her tone. Obi-Wan nodded his head, observing her closely.

"If he is alive, where would Vader be keeping him?" Obi-Wan asked calmly. 

"It would have to be somewhere with a medical facility close by to the battle ground, considering the wounds Anakin received," Luke reasoned. "The surrounding planets should provide you with a place to search." 

Dusting off his clothing with a nod, Obi-Wan lifted to his feet. "I will search for him then," he sighed. "Try to stay out of trouble," he warned them, before slipping out of the room.

"Do you think we made the right choice telling him all that?" Leia turned to Luke. 

"Too late to take it back now," Luke chuckled. He trusted Obi-Wan deeply. No ordinary soul could withstand the betrayal of a brother and decimation of his family. Kenobi was a remarkable man, that was for sure, and he was certainly one Luke could trust.

*

Padmé's life had descended into a pit of numbness, peppered with the occasional bout of misery. Part of her didn't think she'd ever feel again. Every action was meaningless. She was dragging with her a heavy weight that made every step impossible. Most of the time, she'd just been curled up in her guest bed. It felt so empty and cold, but if she closed her eyes, she could pretend she was in her own bed with Anakin at her side.

"Mrs Amidala, did you hear what I said?" a gentle voice called for her. Padmé's attention snapped back into her body. She was in a tiny, little room with colourful diagrams of all kinds of species pinned upon the wall. Everything was white, an examination bed shoved into one corner and a computer desk the other. A small window let in pathetic streams of light and the stench of anti septic harassed her eyes and nose.

"Sorry, could you repeat that," Padmé asked quietly, plastering a smile on her face. She was seated on a hover chair by the large desk, which was occupied by a stout twi'leki woman. Her deep, dark eyes were focused kindly on her, a sympathetic smile curling her lips.

"As I said," the doctor began, "health wise your child is perfect, but we have discovered something we believe you should know as it may stop you from carrying to full term."

"Is it damaging to the child?" Padmé queried, pulling her brows in.

"No, your child will be born successfully, but it may affect the way you deliver," the Twi'leki informed her gently. Padmé's pulse picked up. "It is nothing bad, but I strongly believe you should know in advance of the child's arrival so that you have proper time to prepare yourself." Padmé's heart twisted. Prepare herself. That's right. It was only her that would be there for the children. She needed to know all she could.

"Okay," Padmé blew out a long breath. "Tell me."

"You're expecting twins," the doctor informed her. Padmé's mouth went slack. Twins? 

"Oh," was the only noise she could muster.

"A surprise, I'm sure," the doctor chuckled. Fiddling around at her desk and withdrawing a small, information chip. She handed it to Padmé with a smile. "This has all the relevant information on procedures with twins and has some of the imaging from your scans. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask me at any point."

"T-thank you," Padmé stuttered.

"The only major difference in the birth will likely be that we induce it a month early to avoid full term complications," she added.

"Is that... all?" Padmé asked cautiously.

"Yes, that's all," the doctor chirped with a smile.

"Okay..." Padmé repeated slowly, cautiously getting to her feet. "Thank you very much," she offered the doctor her hand, and she shook it firmly in response.

"I'll see you at the next check up," the doctor smiled. With a nod, Padmé slipped out of the room with the chip clutched in one hand. Her heart beat was rocking her body. She barely even realised where she was until she was slumped down in her speeder in a bustling part of the hospital's docking bays.

It was only then, as she sat in her vehicle, that she finally registered what the doctor had told her. Her gut dropped out from her body. The chatter and buzz of the docking bays blended into the background. She stared down at the small chip in the centre of her trembling palm. Twins. Not just one baby, but two. How was she supposed to raise two babies alone? Squeezing her eyes shut, she let out a long breath and scooped up a carved wooden box, no bigger than her palm, with a delicate satin interior. Placing the chip within, she deposited the box in a small storage pouch within the speeder and started up the engines.

Taking off and joining one of the many traffic queues in the sky, her mind wandered back to Anakin. She pondered how he would have reacted to the news of twins. Would he have been delighted? Would he have been terrified? She'd never know. He died without ever finding out about their second child. Warm tears nipped her eyes and her hands clutched the steering so tightly her knuckles went white. Just one last time. She'd do anything to see him one, last time.


	28. Merchant

Han bounced on the balls of his feet. From the bottom of a grimly, filth covered alleyway, he watched all the speeders streaming through the skies above. Beside him, Rell was seated on the ground with her head in hands. The stench of rotten fruit was thick in the air, causing his eyes to water. "Come on, Perd," Han hummed, running a hand back through his hair.

"Maybe he's finally been caught," Rell snorted, pulling out a tiny motor from her pocket and beginning to tinker with it. 

"Don't jinx it," Han sent her a glare, folding his arms tight.

"If he gets caught, it doesn't matter. He'll just end up back here with us anyway," she huffed. Han paused, stopping to consider her. Her shoulders were slumped in and a fierce scowl warped her face. He didn't remember the last time he'd seen her smile or laugh. In fact, he didn't think he ever had. He had no idea where she came from or how long she'd been in the streets, due to the no ask policy. His gut twisted in curiosity.

"Rell... have you ever considered what it would be like to be adopted?" Han asked quietly. 

"To have a warm bed and real education..." she trailed off as she kept tinkering. "I guess it would be nice not having to steal and scam to survive. I certainly wouldn't mind a different set of clothes." She let out a long breath, her shoulders drooping slightly. "That kind of thing doesn't happen to us street kids though. If we get caught, it's straight back to the streets or into a workshop." Rell paused, curling in on herself slightly. "Who wants stinking old adults breathing down your neck and telling you what you can and can't do anyway," she admitted with a small, pained voice.

Han glared down at the ground. Emotion made his vision blur. To have a family. What a stupid idea. He was quite happy being his own person. He could eat what he wanted whenever he wanted. No one could tell him what to do, and that's the way he liked it.

The children's heads snapped up as a speeder came careening down towards them. They pressed themselves against the mucky walls as the speeder skidded to a halt between them. Perd practically fell out of the vehicle. His eyes were fist wide. "I stole it from the senate. The dogs are hot on us," he blurted. As if on queue, the sound of wailing sirens became audible.

"Why would you take from the senate?" Han snapped, jumping into the fine, leather seating of the speeder. With its polished exterior and pristine interior, he thought it might just be the nicest vehicle he'd even been in. Perd and Rell immediately began gutting the vehicle and Han rummaged the interior for anything of value. All he found was a few little chains. 

Frustration built on him as the sirens drew closer. Hot sweat beaded his brow. That's when he found it. A little, wooden box with intricate markings that was stuffed into a containment chamber. He flipped the lid open to reveal the velvet interior. "Jack pot!" he cried. Within, was a little data chip. If this belong to a senator, it could have all kinds of sensitive republic information. Any reporter worth their wit would pay good money for this. All he had to do was source a cracker to extract the information first. "Lets go!" Han cried, leaping out of the car and taking off. The other children followed him swiftly, carrying armfuls of their bounty. Maybe with this money he was going to make, he could buy his fellow skats some new clothes.

*

Anakin's surroundings slowly unravelled to his senses like a holo image developing pixel by pixel. He was in a small room, greyed streams of light filtering in through the slitted curtains to cut through the dimness. His eyes could just make out the specs of dust that floated through the air. A low beep sounded like the plodding steps of a bantha. The scent of antiseptic was thick in the air. A cold chill rested over him like a wet blanket. He was lying on something lumpy and hard. All around him, the force was a mix of emotion and intent. It boggled his weary mind. 

It hit him like a slap to the face when he realised he had no idea where he was. Sitting up with a start, pain flared to life in his side and immediately flattened him back down. His breath was caught in his throat. Had he not been able to see the pristine, white bedsheets over his body, he'd have thought someone had stabbed him in the side. He gritted his teeth as the pain slowly subsided. His heart began pounding in his chest. To the last of his memory, he'd flung Leia into Obi-Wan's waiting arms but he definitely wasn't on Vader's ship any longer and he couldn't sense Obi-Wan or the twins nearby.

"I would advise not trying to sit up for a few days yet," a low, mechanical voice spoke, making Anakin nearly jump out of his skin. His head whipped around, his eyes narrowing at a dark shape seated by his bedside. He was haunched over in his seat with his elbows planted on his knees. A single ray of light caught the curved edge of his mask, causing it to glint. Bright highlights lined his wavy hair. 

Anakin attempted to jump from the bed and away from the Sith, but cold metal wrapped around his wrists and ankles held him down. He choked out a grunt as the pain in his side flared to life one again. White spots danced before his eyes and noise rang in his ears, but it faded with the agony. "Trying to escape is futile," Vader informed him coldly. "Even if you get out of those cuffs, you won't go far with an injury like that." The memory of a scarlet blade spearing through his side burst to mind, leaving him momentarily breathless.

"How am I alive?" Anakin asked, narrowing his eyes at the Sith. 

"You got to a medical centre before you died," Vader replied dryly. The leather of his clothing crinkled as he sat up straight. Anakin jutted his jaw to one side. He'd had more than enough conversations driven by sarcasm and indirection to realise the Sith was hiding something. Since no Jedi were around, Anakin assumed it was Vader himself that had taken him to the medcentre. Uneasy settled in his gut. What could the Sith want?

"Why am I alive?" Anakin rephrased his words. 

The Sith was still for a few moments. "You are a powerful Jedi, Skywalker," Vader responded. "With a disposition such as yours however, you would make a better Sith." Anakin's eyes went wide. So Vader had saved him to recruit him?

"Never going to happen," Anakin spat.

"I can already feel the darkness within you, the fear," Vader responded in his normal monotone. "It is prying the control from you. It's only a matter of time before it wins." Anakin clenched his jaw, his heart rate quickening. He remembered cutting through the Tusken village, sparing not a single soul. That had certainly not been an act of the light. "What reason have you to stay within the light anyway?" he asked. Anakin scowled. "You hardly belong with the Jedi order."

"Of course I belong with the Jedi," Anakin snapped quickly, horror pumping through his veins. "I'm one of them. I was raised by them."

"You claim to be one of them, but they still think you an outsider," Vader remarked, a tone of mild amusement creeping into his voice. 

"That is not true," Anakin spoke firmly, clenching his fists. A cold queasiness stirred his stomach. "I'm one of their best warriors. I'm practically their poster boy." 

"You are their poster boy," Vader affirmed his thoughts with a nod. "And yet, they still don't trust you." Anakin rigidified. "Those twins you took from my ship, do you even know who they are?" The jedi remained stubbornly silent. Pressure developed on his chest. "You don't, do you." There was bitterness in the Sith's voice. "So you nearly died to steal two children from me when you didn't even know who they were?" Anakin glared away from him. "You may be their best warrior, but you are just that. A tool. A weapon."

"Shut up," Anakin snapped, fury burning within his chest. The Sith didn't know what he was talking about.

"The Jedi order didn't even mention those twins were my children?" Vader taunted him. Anakin froze, his body tensing. Had he helped kidnap children from their father? His brows pulled in together.

"We found them in the detention block being shot at by your droids," Anakin replied coldly. "You were going to kill Leia before I stepped in. They are better off far away from you, even if you are their father." Irritation flared to life within Vader like a struck match.

"Discipline takes many forms," Vader replied coldly. "If they are weak enough to be killed by a few droids then their death was deserved." Anakin couldn't believe the words coming from the Sith's mouth. He'd never understand how someone could be so cruel to their own children. If anything were to hurt his child, he'd be bent on revenge. "You still stole children from their father without knowing what you were doing. The order used you like a puppet." Anakin's top lip curled, he could no more stop the frustration rising within him than he could a bubble floating the the surface.

"It's not just the Jedi that don't trust you," Vader remarked. Anakin's head snapped around to glare at the Sith. "The senate thinks you a wild card too." The Sith leaned down on the edge of the bed. "That senator, Amidala, thought I was you."

Anakin's heart stopped beating, his expression going slack. "No," he murmured. "She wouldn't think that of me."

"Oh, but she did," Vader hissed like a snake about to strike. "I got the impression you two were very close. Closer than you should be." Anakin's heart sank. The only way she'd have revealed something like that was if she had actually though Vader was him. She thought he could be evil? A Sith? "Did she not tell you about that either?" Vader goaded him, the inscrutable, glassy eyed mask bore into him. "It seems to me like she didn't trust you enough to tell you about her little mix up." No, she trusted him. She'd told him she trusted him. "And if she thought you were me, then she must think you capable of all my actions." Anakin shook his head slightly. "This happened after she'd seen me massacre the Republic forces on Modiea and kill the injured soldier helping her escape."

Anakin closed his eyes over, a deep frown etching into his features. His heart ached so much more than the stab wound in his side. How could she think him capable of all that?

"Why are you wasting your time aiding people who don't even respect you?" Vader growled.

"It's the right thing to do," Anakin answered weakly.

"The right thing to do?" Vader scoffed. "After how long you've been fighting and how much you've seen, you should know by now that democracy doesn't work." Anakin's expression twisted further. His mind was peppered with the memories of starving children, populations decimated by war, people begging and pleading for help he couldn't give them. "With the Sith, you could achieve absolute control and make them listen. You could make them abide by peace." Anakin would by lying if he said that wasn't something he'd considered many times in the past. 

"The Sith would value your power and put trust in your capabilities," Vader informed him. "You could make them respect you. You could show them true power. You could be with Amidala with no fear of being found out." Anakin's gut clenched. To maintain his power and his family. To take both. To not have to choose. Now that was a concept. One he felt himself leaning towards. If Padmé didn't trust him, he could make her.

Vader rose to his feet, pulling out a small comm and dropping it onto the bed. "When you make the right decision, get in contact," he spoke coldly, moving to the exit. "Don't forget, your Jedi friend chose to leave you for dead and steal my children, but it was me who saved your life." Just like that, he left the room in a flap of dark fabric.

Anakin craned his head up, wriggling his hand out from beneath the bedsheet and scooping up the small communicator. He eyed the Separatists engravings closely and just for a moment imagined fighting with an army of droids and a crimson lightsaber, just like Vader. Maybe he could achieve the power of the Sith too. Dropping the communicator back down, he let his head fall into the pillow. His face scrunched and his lips curled down. A single, hot tear escaped his eye. When would he ever be good enough?


	29. Perd

Obi-Wan stroked his beard as he browsed through the archives. It was so silent he could hear his own pulse. The blue glow of the vast storage units pierced the darkened gloom. An occasional Jedi bustled through, but he could sense the majority were in deep slumber at the other side of the temple. He was scanning for information on the planets surrounding the space they had clashed with Vader's ship. It was Separatist space and the majority of them were predominantly barren landscapes or uncivilised planets. There was only one with the kind of medical equipment needed to keep someone alive after being impaled by a lightsaber. 

The planet in question was small, with a tiny population cornered off into one little city. It was the only inhabitable place in the entire, desert world. Everywhere else burned everything the light touched into ash. Scratching at his beard, he assessed all the information they had on the place. There didn't seem to be much in the way of defences, but one could never be too sure.

"Up late, you are, Master Kenobi," the familiar voice of Yoda made Obi-Wan peer down at the Jedi grand master at his side. He jumped up onto a chair beside Obi-Wan and curiously eyed the screen he'd been browsing. 

"Yes, I was doing some research," Obi-Wan responded quickly, shuffling in his seat. 

Yoda's hazel eyes bore into him, considering him kindly. "Difficult, the loss of Skywalker is, but hold onto it, you must not," the grand master warned him softly. "Natural, death and grief are." Obi-Wan's shoulders drooped, pain flaring to life within his chest. He gave a small nod.

"I know, master," he cleared his throat. "I just..." he let out a long breath. The revelation that Vader was Anakin was grating on his mind. He didn't want to think it possible if Anakin to commit such evil, when he remembered the pure hearted little boy from Tatooine. Of course he’d developed darkness at his time at the temple, which had been swollen by the toll of the war, but Anakin falling seemed like such a distant and incomprehensible idea. Even still, that knowledge left him with a strong hope that Anakin was still breathing. "I have reason to believe Anakin may still be alive," he stated. "I want to go and look for him."

Yoda pressed his lips into a thin line. "Only lead to disappointment, hope does," he replied, blinking slowly. "Into this search with no expectations, you must go." 

"Yes, master," Obi-Wan dipped his head, knowing those words were nothing but false promise.

*

Padmé wasn't certain much else could go wrong with her day. She'd started off with a bang, receiving news about the twins and then proceeding that with breaking down into flooding tears, only to return to the senate for the first time in days to be immediately told her speeder had been stolen. Padmé cared little about the vehicle at first, thinking it was just the galaxy trying to make her even more miserable, but when she recalled what was in it, her heart had stopped beating. The chip - the information chip about the twins.

Captain Typho had promised to retrieve the speeder and, upon seeing her state of utter distress, sent her home. Ever since then, she'd been pacing around her apartment and nearly pulling out handfuls of her hair. The medical records could be exploited by anyone. She'd be removed from the senate in the blink of an eye.

Slumping down on one of her sofas, she pushed her face into her hands. At this point, did it really matter if she left the senate? She was going back to Naboo, so who cared if she went a little earlier. Blowing out a long exhale, she paused. No, there were people relying on her. Padmé couldn't stop her fight for peace, now more than ever. For as long as she could, Padmé had to keep fighting. She had to better the galaxy, because that was the one her children were going to grow up in and they were the only part of Anakin she had left. Staring down at her stomach, she placed her palm over the curve and blew out a long breath. The only way to keep going was straight ahead.

There was a knock on her glass door, causing her to lift her head and look. Typho stood patiently on her balcony and behind him she could see the familiar, dark shape of her slender speeder. Staggering to her feet, she pushed out of the doorway and onto the balcony beyond. The cool air struck her, the bright rays of sunlight burning her eyes. "Thank you," she murmured to Typho, racing over to the vehicle and clambering in.

"A few pieces of the engine and ion propulsion jets were taken by, what we believe, were street orphans," Typho informed her as he wandered closer. "It should all be easy enough to replace."

"Good, wonderful," she muttered, only half paying attention as she tore apart the interior of the car in a mad search for her chip. She couldn't find it. It wasn't there. Her heart began pounding in her chest.

"Is there something you are looking for?" Typho asked cautiously.

"It's gone," Padmé whimpered, pushing her head into her hands. That's it. It was over. Her career was over. Everything she'd worked for over the past decade was going to end in one big, disgraceful, bang. She gritted her teeth. No. There was still time. The chip had only been stolen that morning. She could get it back. She would find whomever was responsible.

*

Han sat quietly in his den, atop a bundle of mouldy blanket and rotting pillows. A few dim lamps lit the small space. The clawed hands of the cold, night air were sinking into his skin. He could no longer feel his finders or toes. Distant traffic could be heard whooshing far above. The wind whistled as it blew in the cracked walls and rattled the the loose plaster. All around him, children were clumped into little groups. Some were bundled up with their eyes squeezed shut. Almost all of them were shivering. A few of them were playing games with stones, whispering quietly to one another. Others were curled up in little, shivering balls. All of them had a look in common. That light in their eyes, the youthful shine children were supposed to have, was gone. Instead their expressions were haunted, their cheeks gaunt and their skin drained of life.

As Han observed them, he tried to imagine them in homes with proper clothes and warm bedding. He tried to see the youthful glow beneath their mucky skin. He tried to picture how they would look in a loving family. Only then, could he picture their childish innocence returning. Running a hand down his face, he pushed himself to his feet and weaved his way out of the room. 

Finding a huge hole that took up the majority of one wall, he stared out across the city. It twinkled and glittered like a diamond. The darkness of night was fended off by the billions of lights. Taking in a deep breath, he let the coolness fill his lungs and filter through his numb nose. Part of him wondered how many children were out there, freezing on the streets, stealing to survive, scraping what little they could from life. His shoulders dropped. Too many. Far too many for the supposed centre of the Republic. This was supposed to be the pinnacle of modern society and yet millions lived in squalor and filth. So many were starving and spent their days wandering the damp darkness while those on the surface basked in the sun and gorged on food. It wasn't fair.

As Han imagined all the children tucked away in warm beds, sleeping peacefully. Peering back over his shoulder, towards his little gang, his hands clenched into fists. What he wouldn't do to see them happy like that. Letting out a long breath, he stared out at the vast city. There was no point in getting upset about things he couldn't change. 

"Han?" came a small voice from behind. He turned to see Perd padding over to him. "What's got you looking so glum?" The mirlian boy was tall and slender. Despite being quite a number of years older than Han, he was still scrawny and malnourished with sunken cheeks and dull eyes.

Han's brows pulled together and he pressed his lips into a thin line. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like to have a family?" he queried. Perd's face twisted, his lips curling downwards. A heavy silence passed between them.

"I had a family once," he admitted, folding his arms around himself. "My mother died when I was young and my dad didn't take it well. He got angry and shouted all the time..." he trailed off, water glittering in his eyes. "He was difficult to be around." Han gently gripped the boy's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "I ended up fleeing into the streets because life was easier out here than it was with him."

"I'm... sorry," Han mumbled.

"As bad as it got, I always used to dream of what life was like before my mother died," Perd let out a long sigh. "It was good. So good." His hands balled into fists. "I didn't have to worry about where I could scavenge or beg food from next. I didn't need to watch out for people who'd drag me into labour. I wasn't so cold all the time either." Han's shoulder's dropped further. "My point is, family is pot luck," Perd looked again in the eyes. "It can change in the blink of an eye too. Good can turn out bad and bad can turn out good. Sometimes not having one at all is easier." 

"Would you ever want another one?" Han asked.

"If it could be like the good times all the time, then yeah," Perd nodded. "It doesn't matter though," he sighed, casting his eyes to the city. "Street skats grow up alone. That's just the way it is." Han glared down at the floor. "It's not so bad though," he chuckled at last. "You're all the family we need," he lightly punched Han's shoulder. Han smiled at that. As long as they had each other, they'd be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Staying focused whilst I’ve been writing has recently proven to be quite a challenge and it’s because I just have so many fic ideas I want to follow that I can’t think about one at a time. Like honestly, there is one where I want to make Padmé a Jedi, which in itself has two deviations of Anakin either being a Sith or a Jedi. 
> 
> I have one where Obi-Wan never follows Padmé to Mustafar and she ends up stuck in carbonate and wakes up years later and has to learn to navigate her way through a galaxy ruled by Anakin (but it’s a bit like a big mystery as she has been missing for years and it would only be her POV). 
> 
> I also have another Sith Padmé (what a surprise), except she isn’t a Sith and is instead a canibalistic snake who acts as a senator. 
> 
> I’m also tempted to write a fic where Anakin was never found by the Jedi and ended up a popular pod racer that was turned by Palpatine later in life.
> 
> THERE ARE TOO MANY! My brain can’t keep up lol. 5he one thing they all have in common is being super dark and angst. (Naturally). Anyway, I want to write another in conjunction with this one and simply cannot decide which, as I jump between them frequently, but I want more than one project to keep me entertained. If you have any thoughts or preferences, I’d be grateful for input ☺️.


	30. Retrieval

Deep into the late hours of the night, Padmé was curled into a ball, wrapped in layers of blankets, on her couch and browsing through the holonet. Her eyes squinted against the bright glare of her data pad, an ache steadily developing in her temples. Atop her glass table was several empty mugs of, what had been, an energy boost. Although she hated the stuff, she couldn’t drink caff whilst pregnant. Her hair was drawn up into a loose tail atop her head, but the majority had already fallen out. The nightgown she wore was flappy and had the odd stain specking it's cream surface. Over the past few days, she had only removed it for the brief time she was at the med centre and the senate.

Blinking, she peered around at the darkened gloom. She hadn't even noticed the sun setting. Letting out a long sigh, she shifted her weight slightly and continued her search. 

It was just as the first few orangey rays of dawn peaked in through her windows, that she finally found what she was looking for. Her spirits lifted just a fraction and the cold weariness that ravaged her body eased. It was an article about a gang of thieving children that had been wrecking havoc on Coruscant by stealing car parts. These were her little criminals. Now, all she needed to do was hunt them down.

Using her data pad, she began plotting and noting down all the information she could find on them. The sun was poking up over the skyline and brightness was filtering into her living space before she finally was satisfied enough to finally put down the pad. Uncurling from her nest of blankets, all her joints crackled and popped. Stretching a leg that had gone numb, she limped to the bedroom. A cold breeze blew over her, causing her skin to prickle.

Flicking the light on in her little bedroom, she froze solid. The bed took up the majority of the room's space and was still perfectly made from the morning Anakin had left. There was still an imprint on the duvet from where he'd flopped back down to annoy her after she'd just neatly rearranged it. A saddened smile curled her lips, hot tears bubbling up into her eyes. "Goodnight, Anakin," she murmured, pausing as she saw the sun beaming in the window. "Or good morning, I guess," she let out a humourless chuckle. 

Wandering over to his side of the bed, her eyes traced the outline he'd left. Her hand reached out to touch it, halting inches away. She drew it back into herself, cradling it against her chest. Hot tears spilled from her eyes. She knew the imprint would fade in time, but only on the day the duvet was completely flat would she ever lie in that bed again. 

Letting her head drop to the ground, she swiped away a few tears. Turning away from the bed with a sigh, her eyes landed on the black lounge robe that hung from a hook by the refresher door. Padding over to it, she gripped a flap of the soft fabric. Nibbling her lip, she delicately took the robe from the hook and cuddled it against her chest. Lifting it to her face, she inhaled deeply. A familiar musk she knew so well filled her senses. Before she knew it, her cheeks were wet with tears and she sunk down to her knees, burrowing her face in the fabric. 

Padmé curled in on herself, clinging to the robe like her life depended on it. "You promised," she muttered between shaky sobs. "You promised," she cried a little louder. No, she couldn't blame him for this. He was doing his job. He'd rescued the twins. Taking in a few steady and deep breaths, she pushed herself back up to her feet. She had to be strong for him.

Trudging through her apartment, with the robe clutched close, she made herself at home in the guest bedroom. Clambering beneath the covers, she curled in a ball around his robe. If she closed her eyes and took in deep breaths to bask in his scent, she could pretended he wasn't dead at all and lying by her side.

*

Obi-Wan kept his head low and his hood up as he scanned the buzzing reception around him. Droids and people alike were chattering away. Rows of seating were packed to the brim with beings coughing, holding bloodied rags and even some crying. The distinctive wail of a child rang shrill through the air. Unrelenting daylight poured in through the windows, making his brows pull in slightly. 

Straightening up, he caught sigh of a human doctor in medical robes strutting by. He followed after him, keeping his head down as he evaded eye contact. The doctor meandered through the building, flipping through his data pad and grumbling beneath his breath. The moment he entered a small, vacant corridor, Obi-Wan sprung. Placing fingers on the doctor's temple, he knocked him clean unconscious. He crumpled to the floor. Gripping his ankle, Obi-Wan dragged him into a small utility cupboard. 

When Obi-Wan emerged again, he was wearing the doctor's robes and his own cloak was tucked beneath an arm. He kept his head down and wandered through the halls, quickly locating a data port in the wall. Taking the doctor's ID and slotting it into the port, he began scouring through the data bases. His heart jolted into his throat when his eyes landed on a familiar name. Anakin. 

Taking the ID and backing away from the wall, he picked up his pace as he travelled through the hallways. Keeping his mind guarded, he scanned the force. His lips curled when he felt a warm brightness burning not far away. Speeding up further, he was practically running when he halted before a ridged door. He had to stop himself from simply bursting into the room beyond, instead taking a calming breath and probing the space for any potential danger. Nothing. It was still beyond and he sensed only Anakin within.

Sucking in a deep breath, he pushed open the door and slipped in. Two droids standing by the door let out squeals of surprise. They didn't have time to draw their blasters before they were lying in pieces on the floor. The room was small and thin blinds filtered in grey light. A medical bed took up the majority of the space and atop it lay Anakin. There were cuffs around his wrists and ankles, his chest was nearly completely bandaged and his prosthetic was missing. The younger Jedi lifted his head to peer at Obi-Wan, his expression uncharacteristically blank.

"Anakin, are you alright?" Obi-Wan rushed to his bedside. 

"I'm fine," he replied blankly, his good hand curling into a ball. 

"I thought you were dead," Obi-Wan murmured, his heart twisting. Anakin's brows pulled in together. 

"It was painful, wasn't it?" Anakin spoke lowly, coldness creeping into his eyes. His presence twisted itself into a painfully tight knot. Obi-Wan rigidified, leaning back from him slightly. "To lose a brother, to lose me, it hurt. Didn't it?"

"Of course it hurt," Obi-Wan replied, his brows pulling in together. "I was... miserable." 

"So you understand how I felt when you faked your death, then?" Bitterness creeped into Anakin's tone.

Obi-Wan's mouth opened, only to clamp shut. His brows pulled closer together. What did Anakin want from this conversation? Had something happened whilst he was here? Scanning his surroundings once more, he felt that Vader's darkness had been gone from the planet for several days. Perhaps Anakin had found too much time to think on his lonesome. "Those were vastly different circumstances," Obi-Wan shifted on his feet. 

"You're right," Anakin spoke dryly, his eyes narrowing to slits. "If I could've, I would have let you know I was still alive."

"Anakin, is there something the matter?" Obi-Wan asked cautiously, unease putting a chill in his blood. 

"Nothing, Obi-Wan," Anakin let out a long sigh, sinking back into his bed slightly. His presence unwound itself, letting out a little more light. "It's good to see you," he chuckled humourlessly. "If I hear the word 'Rodger' one more time, I might just loose my head." Obi-Wan glanced down at the dismembered battle droids. They certainly weren't made to be good company.

"I don't blame you," Obi-Wan jested cautiously. "Should we get out of here now?"

"I'm the one in cuffs," Anakin remarked. Bending over the bed, Obi-Wan was quick to cut away Anakin's shackles with his lightsaber. Ducking down into a nearby cupboard, he pulled out the remainders of Anakin's clothing, his lightsaber and his cybernetic arm. Tentatively sitting up with a groan, Anakin accepted the items and began to fiddle with the cybernetic.

"Don't put it on yet," Obi-Wan hummed and Anakin shot him a confused glance. "We're sneaking out the good, old fashioned way." He pressed a button and the legs of the bed folded up into the base to form as hovering stretcher. "I'm floating you out of here."

"I can walk," Anakin objected.

"Just because you can, does not mean you should," Obi-Wan reprimanded him. "Especially with a wound like yours." He eyed up the IV until connected to the bed and inserted into the younger Jedi's arm. He didn't want to remove them, for fear it could cause more permanent damage. Anakin groaned and tucked his arm and robes away beneath his pillow before gently lowering himself back down with a grunt.

Taking position at the head of the stretcher, Obi-Wan guided it out of the room and into the hallways beyond. It was relatively busy, but none payed them any heed. "So everyone thinks I'm dead?" Anakin asked, but Obi-Wan felt him fixating on one person in particular.

"Yes," Obi-Wan responded quietly, keeping his head down. "Everyone." He blew out a long breath. "As it stands, I'm currently the only one who knows you're alive." Vader too, of course.

"You didn't tell her you were coming to find me?" Anakin's voice hitched. "She still thinks I'm dead?" Obi-Wan guided the stretcher down a set of continuously narrowing corridors, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings,

"I didn't know for sure if you were actually alive," Obi-Wan confessed. "I didn't want to have to break bad news like that to her again." He pushed the stretcher into a turbolift, pressing the button for the first floor. In the confined, bright space, he was forced to stand by Anakin's side.

"It didn't go well the first time, then?" Anakin remarked, curiosity bubbling out of him. Obi-Wan recognised the emotion. He too had been quite intrigued by the reactions those closest to him displayed after his fake death, heart breaking though they were. 

"About as well as you'd expect," Obi-Wan hummed, his stomach flipping as the lift dropped.

"I don't know," Anakin murmured. "I think I've seen her break her composure about twice." A look of consideration flashed across his features. "One of which was right before I left," he scratched his chin. Obi-Wan gave out a long hum. It didn't surprise him she was displaying force sensitivity. When she'd first heard the news, her mental shields had shattered and he felt her gnawing concerns about her child. Anakin's child. The twins.

"No, she certainly lost composure," Obi-Wan hummed and Anakin's face scrunched. The lift slowed to a halt. As the doors opened into a bustling docking bay, he stepped out of the shaft. "Hey, you're not allowed to-," a stalky security guard began.

"You will allow us to pass with no questions asked," Obi-Wan commanded, waving a hand before the man's face. The man's shoulders slumped, his expression slackening.

"I will allow you to pass with no questions asked," the guard mumbled, taking a step back. From there Obi-Wan dove into the masses of people.

"You're too good at that," Anakin snorted. Obi-Wan grunted in response. He was too busy wrapping the force around them like a cloak, diverting any unwanted eyes. Part of him began to ponder if this was too easy, but a reminder of Vader's identity hit him like a slap to the face. It was likely he wanted Anakin alive and with the Jedi. For what, Obi- Wan didn't know, but he got the sickening sense it was something fowl.

As Obi-Wan studied Anakin's tensed form, he found himself wondering if it was really him under Vader's mask. All he could picture was a charming little padawan with a bright grin, or a close friend celebrating another victory with a shared smile. The darkness was there, of course, but Obi-Wan had always though Anakin's heart would hold onto its childish purity and innocence. Time was a relentless way that everybody became remoulded and not always for the best.

Guiding the stretcher into the belly of his ship, Obi-Wan dropped behind the controls and began lifting the ship from the ground. Anakin began lifting himself out of the bed. "Don't even think about it," Obi-Wan scolded him. "Take a rest. I've got you." Groaning, Anakin flopped back down and began reattaching his cybernetic. 

Before long, their view of space was nothin more than a streaky, blue blur. "So how did you survive that injury and that fall?" Obi-Wan queried, sitting back into the pilot's seat and eyeing Anakin's restless form. Anakin paused, his brows pulling in together.

"Vader," Anakin responded, shifting his weight slightly. "I think he took me to the med centre." 

"Why?" Obi-Wan queried.

"I don't know," Anakin replied quietly, refusing to meet Obi-Wan's eyes. "He didn't say." Obi-Wan pressed his lips into a thin line, but didn't dispute him. There would be a time and a place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It really amuses me, because I had just finished writing this chapter when I posted the one with Anakin’s death and reading all your horrified comments as he was rescued was quite a strange feeling.  
> Anyway, in regards to the other fics, I get the sense the carbonate one is the one that intrigues most people. That’s good, because I am actually quite keen to write it and might even start tonight. I also really want to write the lizard one, so I might start on both (maybe post them) and see how things go. I could also just write out key scenes (something I’ve done with past stories to quench a craving). Thank you for offering your thoughts!  
> Last point, a few asked about the pod racing one, and it’s actually been an idea for a while, so I’m in no rush to write it and I’m sure it’ll crop up eventually. Cheers!


	31. Breathing

Leia followed closely behind Obi-Wan as he guided them through the medical wing. Luke was walking with a skip in his step and a grin on his face, she lingered a little further back. The news Anakin was indeed alive and breathing was relieving, but part of her was still reluctant to see him. The memory of Vader's blade inches from her neck was still burned into her mind. That, and every other thing he'd done to her. To Alderaan. To Han. Nevertheless, she wanted to see Anakin. She owed him thanks. He had saved her life, even if he was the one endangering it. 

Leia was pulled from her thoughts when they entered into a small recovery room. It was hardly the size of a one person ship, but it had a startlingly stunning view of the glinting city far below, from the wall made only of windows. The majority of the space was taken up by a minimalistic bed, on top of which, Anakin was seated. He was leaning back against the headboard, his legs pulled into a basket. He peered up from the cybernetic hand he was tinkering with to watch them as they entered. A mild look of trepidation flashed on his features.

"You have some guests," Obi-Wan informed him. "They wanted to pay you a visit."

"If that's okay?" Luke added quietly, staring at Anakin with stars in his eyes.

"Of course it is," Anakin replied in a heartbeat, his brows scrunching. He halted his tinkering to give them his full attention. Leia thought it strange to see him out of his robes and instead in a pair of medical pyjamas. A few tubes slipped in through his neckline, transporting all kinds of liquids from an IV dispensing unit by his bedside. Obi-Wan slumped down into one of the seats as the twins approached his bedside slowly. They were just tall enough that their heads were above the bedside railing. Anakin stared at them expectantly and Luke gently nudged Leia's side in encouragement.

"We wanted to say thank you," Leia informed him, sheepishly looking up at him. His brows shot up. "Me especially. If it weren't for you, Vader would have killed me." His brows pulled together. "I owe you my life." Anakin studied her closely, his expression softening. 

"You don't owe me anything, squirt," he smiled, reaching out gently and ruffling her hair. At first, she rigidified under his touch, but a quick glean of the force was all she needed to know he had no intention of harming her. His eyes observed her gently. "I wasn't going to let Vader hurt you. Not as long as I draw breath." As she peered at him, it suddenly hit her, what she was looking at. This was a Jedi, dedicated to peace. A man with an expecting wife. A warrior of great power. He'd been willing to risk all of that for her life. He'd nearly lost it all, for her life. A life he knew nothing about, and yet still wanted to protect. This, was not Vader. 

Leia's lips curled downwards as she held his stare, warmth collecting as liquid in her eyes. "Hey, where has all that attitude gone?" he chuckled. "You can't go getting soft on me." 

Nodding her head, she blinked back the tears. "It's alright," she hummed. "I just have to save your sorry behind one more time and we'll be even again." His lips curled into a wide grin.

"That's more like it," he chuffed. 

*

Han was strolling through the Coruscant under city, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he whistled a somber tune. His worn shoes slipped on the grime and filth. The putrid stench of rot was so thick, it would make any normal person gag, but he was not a normal person. Neither was any of the other skats that lived off the streets. They were all more than accustomed to smell. He barely even noticed it anymore. He barely felt the constant hunger pains either. He'd even become numb to the biting cold because if he hadn't he'd be dead.

As he rounded a corner into a relatively short alley, he halted in his tracks. There, was a perfectly glossed speeder with sparkling rims and gleaming transparisteel. His heart skipped a beat. It must be his lucky day. Whatever stupid surface dweller left such a fine vehicle here was certainly going to get a taste of the under city. Scampering over, he paused to admire the vehicle one last time before he pulled it apart.

"Do you like it?" a soft, feminine voice asked. Han's head snapped up as a woman in silken robes stalked into the alleyway. He immediately turned to scamper away, only to find a large man with crossed arms and an eye patch blocking him in from the other side. Han turned again to flee in the woman's direction. "Hold on," she lifted her hands and he skidded to a halt. His heart was hammering in his chest. "I want to cut a deal, not scare you."

Han rigidified, leering between her and the man. "A deal?" he hummed, edging towards the speeder. If he could keep them occupied long enough, he could steal her speeder and be gone.

"I'll give you that speeder free of charge," she replied calmly, and he froze. 

"The whole thing," he cocked a brow. She nodded her head, her soft eyes watching him closely. "What do you want in return?" he spoke icily, eyeing her up and down.

"I just want you to return the data chip you stole," she responded. Han's eyes went wide. This was the senator he'd stolen from. His gut sank, then, epiphany struck. If she was willing to hunt him down, then whatever was in that chip must be real juicy. He was the one with an axe over her head, not the other way around.

"If you want that back, you'll need to give me more than a kriffing speeder," he snorted. 

"Alright, name your price," she responded. Han's brows shot up. Was she really giving him free reign to ask for whatever he felt like? "Do you want credits?" she prompted. "Maybe a family?"

"Don't insult me," he snapped. She barely blinked at his tone. A moment of silence rang out as he thought of Rell. Could he ask her to find somewhere for his friends to stay? No. She was a no good, swindling politician. If he asked for something personal like that, it'd come back to bite him. If he wanted to help Rell and Perd and every other kid that stayed with him, he was going to have to get enough money to help them himself.

"All right," he responded. "Throw in another two speeders and I'll give it back," he hummed. The chip was already at the cracker’s, so he'd have to help her break it out, but that was okay with him. As long as he got enough money to at least buy something to keep everyone warm, he'd be satisfied. 

"Three?" the man's voice hitched.

"Deal," the woman responded, offering him her hand. Creeping closer, he shook it tentatively. "I'm Padmé, by the way."

"Han," he responded.

*

Anakin bounced his foot impatiently as he waited in the suffocating silence of his recovery room. Pale moonlight filtered in through his blinds and left stripes of brightness on his bed. He gnawed on his lip. With a heart rate double what it should be and heavy breath, he felt like he might spontaneously combust. His mind was racing and buzzing, but the one thing it kept flipping back to was that little girl. He'd saved her life, sure, but the way she looked at him was like a puppy staring at cheese. He was glad he was able to help her out and keep her away from Vader. Her own father trying to kill her. It sickened him. 

Still, those eyes haunted him. Something about her was so strikingly familiar, but he couldn't quite pin what. He hoped maybe one day his own child would look at him like that.

With a long breath, he slipped his hand under his pillow and pulled out the comm Vader had given him. A cold feeling washed over him. To betray the Republic. What a thought. Could he really do something like that? The Jedi were corrupt, yes, but were the Sith any better? Who's to say he couldn't side with the Sith and then overthrow them once he'd achieved what he wanted. In the days he'd been isolated in that med centre, that was all he could think of. Blowing out a long sigh, he tucked it back beneath his pillow.

The door whooshed open not a moment later and in stepped Obi-Wan. Anakin's spirits lifted slightly. "What took you so long?" he complained, pushing himself up slowly to sit against his headboard. 

"You know how council meetings drag on," he huffed, fishing out a comm from his robes. "Are you ready?" he cocked a brow. Anakin shot him a dry look. "I'll take that as a yes," Obi-Wan chuckled, pressing down on the comm. A beeping noise rang out in a steady pattern. He waited with baited breath, his heart pummelling his ribs. The longer it went on, the tenser his shoulders became. 

Just as he was about to loose all hope, there was a ping and a holo flickered to life. It was Padmé, wrapped in one of her night gowns with her hair tied loosely behind her head. He instantly picked up on her deathly expression. It seemed like every bit of life had been drained from her completely. Guilt twisted his gut. "Obi-Wan," she plastered on a smile, rubbing at her eyes. "How can I help you?" Obi-Wan's lips twisted into a wide grin, causing her brows to pull together.

"I have someone here who wants to speak with you," he responded, shuffling on his feet and motioning to Anakin.

Padmé turned lazily, but the moment her eyes landed on him, she froze solid. At first Anakin had thought he'd lost connection, but her brows pulled in together. She flicked her eyes to Obi-Wan, who gave her an affirming nod. "I thought I might get a warmer welcome than that," Anakin snorted. "You know, since you thought I was dead."

In a heart beat, Padmé was by his side and her holo halfway merged with his bed. "Ani?" she murmured. This close, he could make out the darkness beneath her eyes. 

"Hey," he murmured. "I told you I was coming back, didn't I?" A little smile curled his lips. Padmé's hands flew to her mouth, tears immediately welling up within her eyes. "Are you that upset I'm alive?" he chuckled lightly. 

"Are you..." her brows creased with worry as she scanned his form. "Are you okay?" Emotion made her voice warble.

"Just a few bumps and scrapes," he chuckled. "I'll be walking around in a few days, and back normal in a few weeks." He was lucky Vader had hit him somewhere non-vital. Then again, maybe he'd done that on purpose. No, he'd definitely done that on purpose. On the thought of Vader, his mood dropped. Had Padmé really gotten him confused with that monster? No, he couldn't think of that now. It was probably just Vader trying to get into his head. He could ask her about that in person.

The smile that split Padmé's face warmed him to his heart. A joy he'd never seen before twinkled in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. "You're really alive?" she murmured.

"My lungs are breathing and my heart beating," he smiled. "Sorry sweetheart, but you're stuck with me."

"I can live with that," she grinned through her tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone have good fan fic recommendations to read?


	32. Chicken Little

Anakin sprung awake like a cat with a trampled tail. His head snapped around madly. He was in a small and barren room. There was little aside from a bed and a chair. It was desolate, even for the republic. A single window at the other end of the room displayed the vast depth a space. His heart rate tripled. Where was he?

Sitting up, he stared down at his dark robes. They were a little like his Jedi ones, black and leather, but their design was thicker and heavier. Furrowing a brow, he ran a hand back through his hair and pulled himself to his feet. Something felt different - wrong. Staring around himself warily, he poked at the force. It was dead. Empty. He was the only living creature for miles, and yet he was floating in space. What kind of ship was he on?

Padding over to his door, he poked his head out into the gigantic corridor beyond. His blood ran cold when he saw a pair of battle droids trodding by. Staggering back into the room, he let the door whisssk shut. He was on a separatist ship, sleeping? At least he still had his armour on. His hands reached for his lightsaber, only to find empty space. Again, his gut twisted.

Anakin scanned the room for his weapon, padding back over to the bed. He nearly did a double take when he caught sight of his lightsaber lying beside a mask on the nearby chair. He scooped it up, immediately faltering after looking closer at the hilt. There was something different about it. It was a different shape, even if the majority of the design was similar. With a flick of his thumb, he ignited the blade. His jaw went slack at the violent, crimson blade it produced.

Vader snapped back to his senses, holding his ignited blade. His brows furrowed and he stared around himself. A terrible ache developed between his temples, causing him to rub at his head with his free hand. Had he gotten up in his sleep and ignited the blade? It didn't feel like that. For some reason, his pulse was racing and his gut had twisted itself into a knot. No, he was missing something. Something had happened. Grumbling beneath his breath, he sheathed the blade and clipped it to his belt. He secured the mask over his face with a long breath. It was only a matter of time before this happened again. He had to move quicker.

*

Padmé wasn't certain, what to make of the shabby little shop that Han had taken her to. A crackling, yellowed light shone down on the innards of a claustrophobic room. Piles of junk with price tags, towering far above her head, made the whole place into a maze. The windows were blocked out by broken machinery and everything was covered by a coat of dust so thick, swirling tornadoes of it followed her every step. She coughed on the musky air and was very tempted to put a hand over her nose to protect her lungs, but decided that would look very rude. Typho followed closely at her heel, his hand twitching by his blaster holster.

Had it been a few days prior, Padmé would have been crushed by such precious information about her and Anakin's children ending up in a place like this, but now, she felt it was just one more little step up towards happiness. Nothing could phase her. All her troubles slipped away like water from a feather because Anakin was alive. To her, it seemed like no matter what happened, things would be okay.

Han led them to a small desk nestled into the gloom. It too was cluttered with data pads and several blasters hung from the ceiling. They looked like they'd yet to shoot even one slug. No doubt they'd been stolen from the republic forces. Her top lip curled in distaste. Han pressed down on the bell and a beat of silence rang out before there was a huge clatter and a bang. The door behind the counter whooshed open and out flew a heavy Toydarian with a spotty beard. The flap of his wings blew up huge clouds of dust, forcing Padmé to cover her eyes and cough.

"Welcome," the Toydarian greeted them with false cheer. "What can Weetu do for you?"

"I'm here for the chip I gave to you to crack," Han told Weetu, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Then you'd better pay up, boy," Weetu hummed lowly. "I've already done most of the work."

"I will cover the fee, now please return the chip and any copies of the data you may have made," Padmé demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Now I'll hang a dundirk..." Weetu commented as he scanned her, his eyes fixating on her stomach. "This is your chip, isn't it?" he chuckled darkly. Her jaw clamped. "You're that popular senator, aren't cha?" Again, Padmé straightened up. "If word got out about what's on that chip, you'd be in a lot of hot water missy." A grin split his face revealing the rotten gums if his tusk-like teeth. "I'd earn a lot more selling that information."

Padmé blew out a short breath. Of course it would come to this. "I hope you have a permit for each and every one of these blasters," she gestured to the hanging weapons. Weetu's smile fell. "I especially hope these haven't been stolen from military resources." His eyes narrowed. "Do you know the penalty for stealing Republic resources and illegally selling them?" she arched a brow and he remained silent. "It's a decade." She informed him bluntly. His eyes widened. "Did I also happen to mention I am dear friends with the judge in charge of military court cases?" His expression greyed. "I'm sure if I asked nicely enough, that sentence could be doubled."

With a muttering grumble, Weetu retreated back through the door. Han turned to look up at her with wide eyes. "That was cool," he muttered. Padmé smiled down at him, gently ruffling his scraggly hair and earning her a grunt of protest.

Weetu returned quickly, slamming the chip on the desk and glowering at them. Padmé passed him a little bundle of credits and picked up her chip. "Now get outta my shop," Weetu hissed, and they left with a victorious grin.

*

Anakin couldn't explain the strange delight it gave him to finally squeeze back into his own robes. The recovery room around him was perfectly neat and his windows let in powerful streams of light. The Jedi temple was bustling all around him. There were so many familiar life forces for him to pick out. They were happily pottering about their daily lives, radiating peace and calmness. 

When the door whooshed open, Anakin peered up from his perch at the end of his bed, where he had been tinkering with his cybernetics, to watch as Obi-Wan strutted in with a warm smile. "It's nice to see you back in your robes," Obi-Wan commented. 

"They're a lot comfier than the stupid medical gown," Anakin grunted in agreement. 

"Since you are going to be stranded here for a few weeks, I come with an offer of something to keep you busy," Obi-Wan informed him, dropping down into one of the hover chairs. They'd found out he was alive just a few days ago and they were already keen to dump work on him? 

"Is it really an offer?" Anakin grumbled.

"Yes," Obi-Wan sighed, folding his arms into a basket. "It's not a job you have to take, I just thought you might like something to keep yourself entertained." Anakin lifted his brows, prompting Obi-Wan to keep talking. "The council want the twins supervised after their most recent escape." They wanted him to baby sit? Anakin ran Obi-Wan's words through his head, finding a chord struck within him at the words 'escape'. The twins had never wanted to be in Jedi custody. They'd stowed away on a ship to get to Vader. To get to their father.

"So you want to make me their warden?" Anakin growled lowly, glaring over at Kenobi.

Obi-Wan startled, his brows pulling in. "Their warden?" his voice hitched. "We are not holding them captive."

"Then why do you need someone to watch them?" Anakin snapped, turning to face Obi-Wan. The thought of someone stealing his own child from him and holding them captive soured his blood.

"So that we can ensure they are trustworthy," Obi-Wan explained gently, lines of worry crinkling his brows. "I know they look like children, but they are mature for their age and certainly capable of being double agents." Anakin faltered when he remembered the way Leia had looked at him when she thanked him. That, was not fake. It couldn't have been. Could she have been lying? Was all of that for show? Had Vader just pretended to try to kill her to get the twins on the Jedi's good side? He'd had more than ample opportunity in the time it took Anakin to cut through that door. If the Sith had actually wanted her dead, she would be. He gritted his teeth.

"Would their untrustworthiness have anything to do with the fact that Vader is their father?" Anakin crossed his arms and lifted his brows. Obi-Wan paused, his face paling. "So you knew what he was to them?" Anakin had to fight to keep his voice down. "You let us go in there to either kidnap children or accidentally recruit spies?" he hissed. Even for the council, this was scummy beyond belief. They were just younglings. Jedi their age wouldn't even be padawans yet.

"No," Obi-Wan lifted his hands in surrender. "I was unaware of their connection when we rescued them."

"You didn't feel like mentioning it when you were passing their supervision on to me?" Anakin was takin in deep breaths to ease the fury that burned in his veins. "Because I feel like that kind of information would be relevant."

"Anakin-,"

"Save it, Obi-Wan," Anakin snapped, rising to his feet. "I get it. You and the council are set and keeping all your little secrets. You don't trust me, even though I've fought half of this kriffing war for you." Obi-Wan cautiously got up, his brow pulling in close. "The thing is, how am I supposed to trust you in return."

"Anakin, of course I trust you," Obi-Wan argued.

"No, you don't!" Anakin half shouted, taking an abrupt step towards him. "If you did, you'd tell me why I nearly died for two children I don't know. You'd tell me we might have spies in our ranks. You'd tell me this wether or not the council asked you to."

"This is bigger than the council," Obi-Wan chastised him. "I'm not telling you everything for the sake of the war. It has nothing to do with how much I trust you. If you had any faith in me, you'd oblige that."

"Any faith in you?" Anakin's hands curled into fists. "I've had faith in you. I've had faith this whole war. Do you expect me to follow you blindly forever?" Obi-Wan's scowl deepened. "Do you really think I can be totally faithful after you faked your own death? You let me think you were dead."

"What's brought all of this on?" Obi-Wan spoke in a small voice, stepping back from his padawan. "Vader spoke with you, didn't he?" Anakin glared down at the floor, his thoughts turning to the separatist comm tucked away in his robes. "What did he say to you?"

"Don't try a deflect this onto the Sith," Anakin huffed, wagging a finger. "This is a matter between us." Obi-Wan's eyes widened in startle. "You know what, it doesn't matter," Anakin dropped back down onto the edge of the bed. "I'll take the job."

Obi-Wan's mouth opened like he wanted to say more, but reluctance flashed across his features. "I'll let the council know you've accepted, but it could be a few days before your services are required," he sighed, retreating towards the door. "And Anakin," Anakin lifted his head to glower. "I am the only other Jedi that knows of the twin's parentage. Please respect their wishes and keep that information to yourself."

"More lies," Anakin narrowed his eyes. "Why would I be surprised." Pressing his lips into a thin line, Obi-Wan peered closely at him for a long moment, before slipping out of the door. Bending over himself, Anakin dropped his head into his hands and let out a pained breath. At least now he'd have time with Padmé over the next few weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful fic recommendations! I always fund writing flows easiest if I’m reading at the same time.   
> I am slightly startled that this fic is at 60000 words because I have a feeling there is at least another twenty to thirty thousand left in the story, which is quite long by my standard. Also, just wanted to say thank you for reading and leaving your lovely comments! It always makes my day!


	33. Another String Cut

Padmé found it almost amusing, the way Han was visibly ill at ease by simply standing on her balcony. His tattered and worn clothes stuck out from the perfectly polished marble. His eyes shifted around and his whole body was curled in on itself. His frame was ridged and his hands loose at his sides. The brilliant sun just highlighted the grimy streaks on his skin that couldn't be seen in the gloom of the under city. 

"Come here," Padmé invited him to sit on one of her curved benches with a nod of her head. He approached timidly, precariously perching as far from her as he could.

"Why am I here?" Han asked in a low voice, his gaze constantly darting around.

"It's alright," Padmé chuckled. "I just thought you'd like a little choice in the speeders I owe you." His eyes narrowed to slits. "I could also, simply give you the credits that having three speeders would acquire." She clasped her hands into her lap. "I figure that might stop you from having the trouble of selling them off." Although Padmé knew it probably was irresponsible to simply give a child this money, she intended to uphold her end of the bargain. If she helped the boy find stability on the way, that would be an extra plus.

"I'll accept credits in place of the speeder," Han responded with edge to his voice.

"May I ask what you intend to use it for?" Padmé queried.

"That was never part of the deal," Han growled, narrowing his eyes.

"No, of course not. You'll get the credits either way, I was just curious," she smiled warmly. Some of the tension from his shoulders eased. "Perhaps I could advise you on the best way to use it?" She saw the clocks turning in his head as he scanned her closely. 

"I was just going to get new clothes, or some rations we can save up for the other kids I live with," he admitted, and she saw in his eyes the honest truth. A smile split her lips.

"You know, you will run out of rations and those clothes will wear down eventually," Padmé told him, causing one of his jaw muscles to tic. "Perhaps you should consider setting up something more permanent?"

"How could a street skat like me do that?" he grumbled, his expression twisting into a scowl.

"With my help," Padmé answered in a heart beat. "I've set up many charities before." Trepidation flashed across his features. "If you were to work with me, perhaps I could use the credits I owe you and your knowledge of the under city to set up an organisation that would truly be beneficial to the children of the streets?" His lips pressed into a thin line.

"You would do that?" he queried timidly.

Padmé nodded with a small smile, reaching out and placing a tender palm on his shoulder. "It's my job to look after the people of the Republic, Han," she informed him gently. "I'm supposed to represent their voices, and the fact there are still children starving on the streets of our capital shows that the senate needs to do more for its people." His eyes dropped to the floor. "You have my undivided loyalty."

"Thank you," Han muttered, peering up at her with gratitude glinting in his eyes. "I'll accept the partnership."

*

Luke lay in utter darkness. The simple but comfortable bedding the Jedi has provided him with was more than enough to keep him perfectly warm. The tranquil hum of the temple buzzed all around him. It was refreshing, to be apart of such a dazzling light. He was a grain of sand on a crystalline beach. There was the occasional dark spot here and there, but that didn't detract from the feeling of sinking his feet into the sun kissed sand.

From across the room, Luke could make out the feint noise of Leia's shallow breath. Her wakefulness was waning, but her mind was still forming streams of coherent thought. Over the past week, they'd kept their conversations primarily focused on figuring out ways to declaw Palpatine. When they'd thought Anakin was dead, neither of them had been particularly inclined to talk about it. Now that Anakin was back, and relatively healthy, they hadn't spoken much either, but there was a moment burned into Luke's mind he wanted to question her on. That look she'd given Anakin whilst thanking him was nothing other than total gratitude and undying faith. Glad though he was, it was not what he had expected. Not from her.

"Leia?" Luke whispered into the darkness. All he got in response was a low hum of acknowledgement. "Have you... forgiven our father?" His heart picked up pace as he waited in silence for her response. Time seemed to tick by and the only thing that kept him from imploding was feeling the methodical turning of his sister's mind. She was going to respond, she was simply constructing her response.

"No. I haven't," she replied. Luke's curiosity peaked. That certainly was not what he’d felt from her. "I..." she blew out a long breath. "I've realised I have nothing to forgive Anakin for." She admitted. "All he has done is save my life and take me to the Jedi, where we needed to be." A smile curled Luke's lips, warmth lighting inside of him. "Vader, I will never and can never, forgive," she growled. 

"Leia, don't you see," Luke whispered, turning to face in her direction. "We could pull Anakin back into the controls of Vader's mind. It just takes time and patience and the right opportunity."

"No, Luke," Leia snapped, and he heard her sitting upright in bed. The light flickered on and he squinted against the burn. "There is no Anakin in Vader. Not anymore. There can't be." Luke sat up, slowly rubbing at his eyes. His gaze fixed on the dour expression she sent him from the bed beside. "Anakin risked everything to try and save me, without knowing what I am to him. Vader tried to kill me and he knew my identity."

It had been crushing when Leia had told him that Vader had tried to kill her and along side Anakin's fake death, Luke had really, completely, lost faith in his father. Now, however, he'd had time to ponder it out. Although it didn't burn any less, he could reason out why Vader had done what he'd done. "That's the thing, Leia. I think somewhere in his twisted logic, he thinks he's doing us a favour."

"No, he knew exactly what he was doing," Leia snapped, flinging her legs off the side of the bed to face him. 

"Remind me what he said to you before he killed you," Luke asked calmly, leaning against his headboard and crossing his arms over his chest

"I'll see you again, Leia," she grumbled lowly.

"I think he is planning on completely destroying our timeline," Luke sighed, resting his head back against the wall. "To him, we're going to be erased anyway, so he has no trouble killing us." His lips curled down, a heavy feeling setting on his chest. Betrayal panged in his chest. "Padmé is already pregnant, so he knows we'll be born again in time."

"He wants us out of the way," she huffed, her expression hardening. Luke gave out a long sigh, running his hand down his face. The image he had of Vader hoisting up the Emperor and throwing him down a reactor shaft seemed to be loosing some of its opacity. Like a fading fever dream, he pondered if it was ever real. "We need to stop him," Leia spoke sternly, catching his attention. Luke blinked at her slowly, his shoulders drooping. "For the Anakin of this time, we have to stop him or the next time, Vader might aim for the heart."

"I know," Luke's voice cracked. "I won't kill him, I can't, but he must be stopped." Leia nodded her head and the pair fell into a respectful silence. One that lasted the whole night.

*

Anakin felt his heart hammering in his ribs as he crept through the dim darkness of Padmé's apartment. He could feel her life force humming away happily. It's delighted buzz made his lips curl into a smile. It didn't take him long to find her nestled on the couch with data pads spread all around her and a meagre lamp shining from the glass table. "Hey," he whispered from the doorframe.

Padmé's head snapped up, and she was frozen for a half a beat. Throwing everything on her aside, she jumped to her feet and came racing over to him. He couldn't stop the wide smile that sprung to his cheeks. She halted a step before him, eyeing him up and down before cautiously wrapping her arms around him. He chuckled at her tenderness, his heart moved that she'd taken the time to stop and consider what course of action was least likely to cause him pain. He took in a deep breath of her sweet scent and planted a kiss atop the crown of her head. 

Pulling away, her glittering eyes peered up at him. "You're really okay?" she asked.

With a small breath, he hiked up the corner of her tunic to show the thin layer of bandages on his abdomen. "I'll be fine," he promised. She reached out, delicately tracing the bandages with her fingers. Her worried eyes flicked up to meet his. "It's already a lot better. Nothing vital was hit. I'm going to be just fine," he assured her, gently stroking one of her cheeks with a human palm. She nodded, pressing her lips into a thin line and leaning into his touch. He dropped the corner of his tunic back down.

Breathing out a long sigh of relief, she delicately hugged him once again. He gently stroked her hair, a feeling of somber dawning on him when he recalled just how much he'd needed to feel her and hug her after he'd rescued her from Vader on Modiea. He stopped dead in his tracks. That's right. He needed to speak with her about Vader. About her thinking he could be a Sith. "Padmé," he breathed out a long breath. "Can I ask you something?"

Padmé pulled away from his embrace, staring up at him quizzically. "You can ask me anything," she told him sweetly.

"I spoke with Vader," Anakin began and her face greyed. His lips curled downwards. She knew where this was going. "Did you think he was me?" he asked timidly.

"Anakin," she breathed his name, her face twisting slightly. Her force presence shrivelled.

"What?" he growled lowly, taking a step back from her. "How could you think that?" he snapped, his hands curling into fists. "Do you really think so lowly of me?"

"No, of course not," she lifted her hands placatingly.

"Well you obviously do!" his voice lifted into a shout, making her eyes widen. "You think I could murder my own men? You think I could destroy an entire city and slaughter thousands of civilians?" Heat boiled in his chest and his top lip curled into an ugly snarl.

"It never had anything to do with that," Padmé defended herself, shaking her head slowly.

"Then what?" he snapped. "What could make you think I'd betray the Republic like that?"

"It was the way he moved," Padmé responded quietly, cracks of pain forming around her eyes. "It was the way he spent an entire day tinkering with his starfighter." Deep wrinkles formed on his nose. Just because the Sith enjoyed mechanics didn't make him anything like Anakin. Seeing his disapproval, Padmé took half a step forwards. "He knew I was pregnant," she added quietly. "I thought if anyone would be able to figure that out without prompt, it'd be you."

"Padmé-," he began to object.

"You know what really made me think it was you though?" she interjected, upset flashing on her features. "He came running when I was upset and he told me off like a child when I didn't take the opportunity he gave me to flee."

Anakin assessed her with dark eyes. His anger burned ever brighter. He leaned his face down close to hers. "It sounds to me like he has a thing for you, Padmé," he hissed. "I'm not the only person in the universe that likes you. You know that." Straightening up, he turned and stormed away from her.

"Anakin!" she shouted after him, following him out to where his ship was docked on her marble balcony. "It was just a mistake."

"A mistake?" he whipped around, causing her to skid to a halt behind him. "You're right, it was a mistake, but it shows what you really think of me." 

"No, I don't-,"

Anakin lifted a hand, cutting her off. "I'm not just a mindless brute," he snapped. "I'm loyal to the Republic. I've never betrayed it and I've fought so many of its battles that I'm going numb, Padmé." His voice was straining with the pain he poured into it. Her mouth opened to speak, but no words reached the open air. "No matter what you may think, I'm not evil and I'm not a Sith." He lurched towards her slightly, causing her to take a staggering step backwards. 

Rigidifying, a cold feeling washed over him. Regret flashed on her features. "Did you just flinch?" he whispered in a deathly, quiet voice.

"Anakin," she pleaded with him.

Rising up to his full height, his eyes narrowed to slits. "Do you really think I would hurt you? That I could hurt you?" his voice was low. "How many times have I saved your life?" he barked, once again, causing her to flinch away. Coldness hollowed him from the inside out, his shoulders dropping. "You don't trust me," his voice cracked.

"I do," she objected, taking a timid step towards him. Her presence was quivering. His eyes hardened to slits.

"You don't trust me," he spoke more forcefully, clenching his fist so tightly the gears in his cybernetic squealed. "After everything we've been through, you still don't trust me."

"That's not true," she argued. "I trust you with my life," a hand was placed over her heart.

"With your life, but nothing else!" he snapped, gritting his teeth. As he stared down at her, his vision became a watery haze. She could offer him no response. "That's what I thought." He shook his head. "You're just like the rest of them." Jumping into his speeder, he zoomed off into the night and didn't look back once.


	34. Forget Me Not

Obi-Wan watched quietly from the side as Luke and Leia sparred in the centre of a small training hall. Luke moved with the fluidity and grace of a mature Jedi, but Leia's moves were staticky and slow. She was having to think before she acted where it came without thought to Luke. Occasionally, he would stop to correct her stance or point out a mistake, and more often than not she wouldn't have to have it pointed out again. It reminded him starkly of his time teaching Anakin. The boy absorbed everything like a sponge and rarely needed taught something twice. It startled him, how he hadn't seen the similarities between father and children before.

Even something in the way Luke walked and the way Leia smirked screamed of Anakin. Undeniably, he could pick out much of Padmé's calm and gentle nature within the children. It seemed to have dampened Anakin's wildness. A smile cracked his lips as he watched the pair. Of course part of Obi-Wan would always wish Anakin had just stuck to the rules, but seeing what his breach of the code produced made it seem like the code was supposed to be broken.

The squeal of a small child forced him back into his body. Obi-Wan's eyes fixed on Leia, she had dropped her practice saber and taken shelter behind a stack of balance boards. Luke was peering after her with a perplexed expression, his arms slack by his side and his saber sheathed. The force trembled. Around Leia, Obi-Wan felt a youthful but stubborn aura. One that reminded him, breathtakingly, of the young Anakin he'd met on Tatooine.

"Is something the matter?" Obi-Wan asked, carefully rising to his feet.

"I..." Luke trailed off, staring between Obi-Wan and Leia. "I don't know, she just stopped moving and then ran away from me." He scratched at his head. "She looked at me like she didn't know-," he froze, the expression dropping from his face. "Oh," he let out a wheeze, padding over to where the little girl was hiding.

"What has happened?" Obi-Wan queried, lingering a respectful distance behind as Luke squatted down before Leia. She was trembling in the darkness of the little corner she had wedged herself into. Terrified eyes peered up at them, melting Obi-Wan's heart.

"This happened to me on Vader's ship," Luke murmured. "Leia said it was like I regressed back to the mental age of my body. Memories and all." Obi-Wan's face paled. That sounded positively terrifying. "Hey, Leia, it's me, Luke," Luke whispered gently, holding out his hand towards her. 

"I don't know you," came the tiny, terrified voice. She curled in on herself, tears bubbling up in her eyes. 

"You do," he assured her. "I'm your brother, remember?" Leia's face blanked and the expression drained from her features. Luke and Obi-Wan traded a long look. 

Leia shook her head, groaned and rubbed her eyes. "What in the name of the force am I doing back here?" she muttered, clambering to her feet. 

"You forgot me, like I did you," Luke explained, stepping back to give her space to exit her little hiding spot. Leia's brows furrowed and her lips pressed into a thin line. "You were a child."

Leia pinched her brows, blowing out a long breath. "That isn't good." Obi-Wan thought that was an understatement. "If one of us were to regress like that before Vader, he'd kill us." Obi-Wan's blood curdled, his eyes flickering shut. Not Anakin, surely. He wouldn't do something so foul. Was it really him behind that mask? It couldn't be. Yet, it was. The Jedi master believed what the twins had told them about the fate of their father, though heartbreaking it was.

"How was it you were put into the bodies of children?" Obi-Wan queried, folding his arms into his sleeves.

""We don't really know," Luke admitted. "It happened at the same time we time travelled, so I'd assume it was caused by the same thing." 

"We believe the thing that sent us backwards to be some form of rock Vader had," Leia explained. "We haven't seen it since we arrived in Coruscant and we haven't asked Vader about it either." Obi-Wan let out a low hum, stroking at his beard. "I'd assume it was with him still."

"If there was ever a place that could hold information about an object such as that, it is the Jedi archives," Obi-Wan informed them, folding his hands into his sleeves. "Perhaps a search there could be beneficial for finding a way to aid you in your predicament?" The twins sent each other a long stare, before finally giving a mutual nod. It was time to hit the holocrons.

*

All throughout his upbringing at the temple, there had been many who offered Anakin support in his struggles. Yoda had always been there to impart valuable nuggets of knowledge and Obi-Wan was brilliant at breaking down his problems into manageable chunks. There were many other Jedi he had befriended too, but therein lay the issue. They were all Jedi. They had all been at the temple for as long as they could remember. If Anakin went to them with his most troubling issues, they be likely to simply recite the Jedi code and tell him to let go of his troubles. That might have worked for others, but it only frustrated Anakin further.

There was only one person that Anakin felt understood him. There was only one person he felt he could trust everything to. There was only one person he could rely on in times of great emotional distress. Sheev Palpatine. Thus, in the aftermath of his heated argument with Padmé, he found himself seated before the chancellor, in his wide and open office. A calmingly, sweet scent blew past his nose. The red walls descended into a dark carpet, that led up to the huge windows peering out at Coruscant's bustling skyline.

"Tell me, my dear boy," Palpatine leaned his arms down on the glossy surface of his desk. "What's making you look so glum?" Leaning back into one of the ridged chairs angled towards the wide desk, Anakin blew out a long breath and pressed his lips into a thin line. "I swear to you, not a word of what you say will leave this room." Anakin peered up at him. The comm Vader had given him burned in his pocket. How could he mention his temptation to leave the Republic, to the Republic himself? Perhaps he didn't have to mention that part.

"The Jedi don't trust me," Anakin mumbled, his brows furrowing.

"Whatever do you mean?" Palpatine asked, tilting his head curiously to one side. "Is it not you they send out most frequently on missions?" Anakin closed his eyes over, feeling anger boil inside of him.

"That's the thing," he responded lowly. "They use me like a weapon, a poster boy, but still keep secrets. They have so many secrets. I know there is a lot more going on in this war than we know, but they keep it to themselves." Letting out a grumbling huff, he leaned down onto his knees. "I nearly died on my most recent assignment, and they still refuse to tell me anything about the children I was sticking my neck out to save." Palpatine watched him quietly, his expression patient and warm. Anakin stopped himself from mentioning the children's connection to Vader. He would honour their discretion. "They expect me to have faith in them, when they don't even have faith in me." His features sharpened into an angery scowl.

"My, my," Palpatine tutted. "That is simply unfair." Relief coursed through Anakin at hearing the older man agree with him. So, he wasn't just acting irrationally. "It seems they think they can make you do whatever they want you to without any input or reward." Anakin gritted his teeth, glaring at the floor. "I'm sure the Jedi must have a good reason for their secrets," Palpatine added with a sigh. "It would have to be, if they are keeping it from you, the Jedi who will surely rise to be more powerful than even Yoda." Anakin felt his pride stir within him, purring upon being stroked. "And to think, they will tell you nothing of those you sought to rescue. Outrageous, really."

"How can I fight their war if I don't even know what I'm fighting," Anakin added in exasperation, his mind flicking to Padmé. "After all I've done for them, you'd think I earned a little more respect than being treated like a toddler with the galaxies strongest blaster." 

Palpatine studied him closely, clasping his hands in his lap. "Is there something else bothering you?" he queried. "Something aside from the double standards of the council?"

"I..." he blew out a long breath, pinching at the bridge of his nose. Did he really want to talk about Padmé? Just the thought of that encounter left him with an aching, hollow coldness. A pain he couldn't quite describe. He supposed he might as well. There was no real reason not to. "I got into an argument with a friend," he explained, his shoulders slumping. "She thought it was me behind Vader's mask," he hissed. "She thought I was the one doing all of those terrible things on Modeia." His voice was beginning to lift as he straightened up. His vision tinted red.

"How ludicrous," Palpatine tutted, shaking his head. "The last person to do something like that would be you. You've dedicated your whole life to peace."

"Exactly," Anakin agreed. "I thought she knew me better than that. I thought she trusted me."

"You are the most trustworthy person I know. I can't count how many times you've aided me when I've gotten myself into hot water," Palpatine admitted gently, peering at Anakin with a sad smile. "It infuriates me that other people can't see your greatness." Clasping his hands, he blew out a long breath. "I think they fear your power," he admitted. The muscles in Anakin's jaw twitched. "They've becomes too complacent and keeping you under the heel of their boot is the only way they can keep themselves superior to you." Anakin peered up at the Chancellor, a sickening feeling rising within him. They were squashing him down to make themselves bigger? "Although, I'm not a Jedi. What do I know?" he hummed. 

"No, you always have good insight," Anakin murmured. Coldness bathed his mind when he remembered how Obi-Wan had always held him back as a padawan. How he'd always pull Anakin back from progress. Was he trying to stunt Anakin's power so he was easier to control? No, Obi-Wan wouldn't do that. Surely Obi-Wan wouldn't do that, they were close friends? Yet... somehow it made sense. It made perfect sense.

"I've always thought it so cruel, the way the order scrutinises you," Palpatine added. "Don't worry, Anakin. I recognise you are a bird waiting to be freed. They can't clip your wings forever. I'm sure you'll eventually show them just how powerful you really can be." Eventually? No, Anakin wanted to show them now. His mind flicked to Vader's comm. The Sith wouldn't hinder him. The darkside could be powerful too. He'd learned that years ago with the Tusken Raiders.

"Thank you, Chancellor," Anakin dipped his head, a saddened feeling settling over him. No, he couldn't betray the Republic. For all its faults, the Separatists had ten times more. "I always appreciate our talks."

"My door is always open to you, Anakin," the Chancellor beamed at him. Nodding, Anakin slipped away. He supposed he was going to have to spend another cold night at the temple because he certainly couldn't return to Padmé. Not when he evidently scared her so much. Bitterness rose within him. Last he checked, she was the politician and he was a Jedi. The Jedi were known for honour, but politics was nothing but a den of snakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s funny, I want to put more time between the chapters I post to lengthen the duration of this story, but then every time I finish a chapter I just get too excited and post it anyway lol.  
> I hope you enjoyed!


	35. Conference Call

Luke had spent much of his life, post Empire, scouring the galaxy for any knowledge of the Jedi he could scrounge. A place like the Jedi archives, which was brimming with more knowledge than he could ever hope to obtain in his whole lifetime, would have been a dream come true. He couldn't help the excited buzz that pumped through his veins as he set to work at a small table at the back of the archives. There were data pads spread across the table and a few holocrons that he'd begun scanning for information.

Leia was seated beside him, powering through information with mild disinterest. Luke couldn't help but want to commit every new piece of information he learned to memory. Time seemed to fly by and he picked up each new holocrons with renewed and continuous enthusiasm. The librarian, master Jocasta Nu, was keeping a watchful eye on them and occasionally bringing them things she thought could be useful.

It was only as the evening began ticking away into the night, that he began loosing some momentum. At his side, Leia had her head in her hands as she read through a data pad. Her eyes were glassed over, the lids drooping. Scrubbing at his tired eyes, he put down the data pad and stretched his arms far above his head. Many of the bones in his body crackled and crunched. Sucking in a deep breath, he allowed the little of the force to flow through him. It carried with it a current of thousands of different presences and emotions. Sensing one in particular, he rigidified. 

Here, somewhere in the temple, Luke could pick out the distinct brilliance of Anakin, but there was something very wrong. The Jedi's mind was dark and felt like the dark clouds of an oncoming storm. Focusing on him made the force seem just a little colder. The hairs on the back of his neck lifted. Although it was still nothing to the full thunderstorm that Vader was, it was a step, a little too big, in that direction.

"Can you feel that?" Luke murmured to Leia, staring off in the direction he sensed his young father. Leia peered up at him, wrinkling her brows. "Anakin, can you feel him?" he pressed. Sucking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes over and he felt her mind tuning in to everything around them. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and small wrinkles appeared on the bridge of her nose.

"He's upset," Leia commented, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms. "It hasn't been that long since he got back, what could have annoyed him so much?"

"One way to find out," Luke responded, sliding off of his chair and gently rising to his feet. 

"Have fun with that," Leia huffed, sitting back in her seat. 

"I thought you'd forgiven him?" Luke queried.

"That doesn't make me want to deal with him when he's having a tantrum," Leia replied coldly. Luke shot her a look of mild scolding. "I have better things to do than babysit." Her voice adopted a sharp tone. "Like finding out why we keep turning into children." Letting out a short sigh, Luke turned and slunk from the library, evading Master Nu's ever watchful eye.

Finding himself in the halls of the temple, he kept his head high and strode through. Wearing the Jedi youngling clothes and with a presence bright like his, he blended easily into the Jedi. It didn't take him long to locate Anakin. The Knight was seated in a large bay window that bulged out the side of a deserted corridor at the back of the temple. One leg was swinging down over the ledge, the other collected against his chest. Behind him, the Coruscant sky was a mix of vibrant orange and reds. Streams of traffic criss-crossed over the city. A cool breeze blew in, toying with his hair.

Anakin, no doubt sensing Luke's approach, turned to greet the boy with a smile, but it was painfully thin. "Hello, little Luke," he hummed.

"Knight Skywalker," Luke dipped his head in response, stopping beside the window. His head could only just peer over the top. "You seem to be recovering well," he commented, staring up at his unknowing father.

"Yes, I've made a lot of progress," he responded gently. "I'll be back in action in no time." Luke pressed his lips into a thin line. It seemed the Jedi never really got the luxury of taking a break. Perhaps their downfall came from working themselves to the bone. Than again, there was no other option in war. "How can I help you?"

"I felt your upset," Luke admitted. Anakin's face fell slightly, his shoulders rigidifying. "Are you okay?" he asked, locking onto his father's eyes and pouring all the emotion he could into his expression.

"I'm fine," Anakin breathed out, the corners of his lips curling downwards. "There is nothing to be done about the issues I'm facing." He took a moment to stare out at the city, his eyes fixing on a tall building near the senate. If Luke wasn't mistaken, it was the 500 republica, where most senators lived on Coruscant. With another long sigh, he peered back down at the boy. "Do you want to join me?" he asked.

Luke faltered, delight rising within him at the invitation. "Yes, of course," he responded instantly. Anakin's lips curled a little. Leaning down, he gripped Luke's sides and hoisted him up onto the window. "Thanks," Luke spoke sheepishly, as he straddled the open sill. 

"Just don't tell Obi-Wan I let you up here," Anakin grumbled. "He'll kill me."

"Your secret is safe with me," Luke chuckled. With a smile, Anakin ruffled his hair and sat back against the sill. They sat quietly for a moment, and Luke stared out at the city. Part of his gut twinged. All these people were completely unaware that in just a month their lives would be flipped upside down. The Empire would seize control and the very man Luke sat with would become the galaxies worst menace. At the thought of Vader, Luke was struck with what was wrong with Anakin. He'd been alone and isolated with Vader and Vader knew how to push the buttons of any average man, but he would be an expert at pushing his own.

"Knight Skywalker," Luke began, and Anakin peered down at him. "Darth Vader is... a very difficult individual," he began cautiously, staring out at the skies. "He has an uncanny way of twisting himself into your head with what feels like the truth." Anakin faltered, his brows pulling in. His mouth opened, before he clamped it shut again. His shoulders drooped.

"If something feels like the truth, then it normally is," Anakin responded quietly, his features scrunching.

"Can a truth really be the truth if it's only half there?" Luke asked, causing the Jedi's brows to furrow further. "If that were the case, you could call an orange yellow, without adding the yellow was mixed with a red." Again, Anakin faltered. "What seems to be true from one point of view, may only be true from that point of view," he added. "That's what gives Vader his ability to claw his way into people’s minds."

"You're awfully wise for a kid," Anakin remarked, a little smile curling his lips. "Don't you worry about what went down between Vader and I. He's a Sith, and all Sith do is manipulate." Luke paused, that not quite being the point he was trying to make. Nevertheless, the message seemed to get through. Don't trust Vader.

Anakin regarded Luke closely for a moment, evidently debating something within his mind. Luke swung his legs, peering out at the cityscape once more. "Are you... Vader's kid?" Anakin asked timidly after a moment. Luke's head snapped around to face the Jedi, his eyes growing to be the size of fists. "It's okay, I'll keep your secret safe," he lifted his hands in surrender. 

"Thank you..." Luke murmured, righting himself. "Did Vader tell you?" He scratched at the back of his head.

"He did," Anakin confirmed. Luke's brows furrowed. What had his father hoped to achieve by revealing that? It seemed like he hadn't even mentioned the connection between him and Anakin. For the best, perhaps. "You... wanted to come to the temple, right?" he queried. "I didn't help abduct you?"

"No," Luke let out a little laugh of amusement and Anakin visibly deflated. "Leia and I wanted to come to the temple because we are going to stop my father." Luke's jaw clenched. "Although I wanted to be able to convince him of let go of this crusade he has set himself upon... I failed. So, now it's our responsibility to make sure we minimise the damage he can do."

"Kid," Anakin placed a hand on his shoulder, amusement shining in his eyes. "You are not responsible for anything that sleemo does." Luke opened his mouth to object, but he kept going. "He is your father. He is the one responsible for you. Don't ever forget that." The child stared up at the Jedi's stern features. He wondered if his opinion would change if he knew who Vader really was.

"That won't stop me from wanting to redeem him," Luke replied quietly.

"Redeem him?" Anakin's voice hitched, confusion flashing across his features as he straightened up.

"Yes," Luke nodded. "It may not seem like it, but I know there is good in him deep down." Anakin drew him a doubtful look hidden by a weak smile. "I've seen him do good acts before. I've felt the light inside of him," Luke continued calmly. "He used to be a lot like you."

"I'm nothing like Vader," Anakin scowled, his expression darkening.

"Vader was once a very good man," Luke interjected placatingly. "He was someone many people greatly respected."

"If he was respected, then he's certainly nothing like me," Anakin mumbled. Luke cocked his head to one side, confusion warping his features. Was Anakin not deemed 'the hero with no fear'? Was it not his name that parents used to soothe the troubles of their children? Was he not the protege of the Jedi? "Sorry," Anakin cleared his throat, shifting the way he sat slightly. His eyes glared down into his lap. "It can't have been easy growing up with a Sith father."

"Vader wasn't in the picture much," Luke replied with a shrug. "It was only by chance we found our way into each other's lives." A wrinkle formed between Anakin's brows, a forlorn pain blossoming on his features.

"Yet you have faith he can be restored?" Anakin queried. "Does Leia think the same?"

"My father and I have a strong bond, so I know there is good in him... somewhere," Luke admitted. "Leia hates him with all her being."

"I don't blame her," Anakin snorted. "He did try to kill his own daughter." That hit Luke like a slap to the face. That was a wound he was yet to heal.

"I just hope all of this is over soon," Luke breathed.

"Me too," Anakin responded, pain cracking his features.

*

Vader was more than accustomed to receiving abrupt and inconvenient calls from his master, just to be scolded and reprimanded. So, when he was beckoned to the communication chamber in the dead of the night, he was already tense and prepared for the worst. Sidious stood as a flickering, blue hologram in the midst of the chamber, his face covered by a deep hood. "Vader, welcome," Sidious greeted him.

"Lord Sidious," Vader greeted him, dipping his head. "What is thy bidding."

"I simply called to congratulate you," Palpatine replied, carefully clasping his hands together. "Anakin came to me in quite a rage today. It seems whatever you said successfully got beneath his skin." That was of no surprise to Vader. Anakin had many buttons that were all too easy to press. "He is much closer to the darkside now. Well done."

"I intend to escalate his temptation soon," Vader continued. "Before long, he will be yours."

"Good, good," Sidious purred. "One thing he did mention, however, is that he was rescuing children from your ship he knew nothing about. Children the order must want badly to face you head on." Vader's chest tightened. Damn Anakin and his loose lips. Next time he saw that foolish boy, he'd be sure to teach him the art of discretion.

"They are just thorns in my side," Vader replied calmly, folding his arms over his chest. "I'll be rid of them soon." 

"I'd hate for our plans to be ruined by snot-nosed brats," Palpatine remarked. Vader clenched his jaw. They were a lot more dangerous than a snot nosed brat. "You've proven yourself to be competent, Vader. Don't let me down now." With that, his holo flickered away. Vader exhaled deeply and rolled his shoulders. There was work to be done.


	36. In the Dark of Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been longer than normal, my apologies. I was writing a chapter that I had zero motivation for, but it also happened to be very long and key for the stories progress. Anyway, enough excuses, enjoy!

Anakin didn't know what to think, when he found himself at the heart of a Separatist cruiser and observing a space battle from its command deck. All over the place, droids were buzzing around the controls and giving orders into their comms. Yet none of them paid him any heed. Shifting on his feet, his hand settled on his lightsaber. His heart was pounding in his chest. Were they so dull, they really couldn't see him standing like a statue right in front of them? He rigidly glanced back out at the ongoing battle. In his reflection, he saw a blank and inscrutable mask. A vaguely familiar mask. Perhaps this was what was stopping the droids from recognising him. It seemed like it was commander Wolffe the Separatist forces were battling against.

Anakin must have found a way into the ship to dismantle it from the inside. Rolling his shoulders, he delicately plucked his saber from his belt. At the sight of it, he paused. The design was different than he recalled. With a flick of his thumb he ignited the startlingly crimson blade and began cutting through all of the droids on the deck. It struck Anakin, that this was the same weapon he'd found at his bedside when he'd awoken, likely, on this very ship. The mask was with the blade too. He must be doing some deep undercover work. Although his memory lapses bothered him, he figured he could see to it when he was back on Coruscant.

It wasn't long until there was only one droid left. It scampered back from him as he advanced on it with menace. "What are you doing? Lord Vader?" it squealed. Vader? That name was so familiar.

Vader snapped back to his body with a crimson blade lifted to cut down a cowering battle droid. Freezing, he stared around himself. Metallic corpses lay in various states of dismemberment all around him. Shifting on his feet, he let out a dissatisfied hum and sheathed his blade. "Get this cleaned up and call in more tactical droids," he snapped at the last working one. 

"Roger," the droid squealed, running away. Vader's hands curled into fists as he stared at the carnage around him. He was running out of time. Anakin had to turn and he had to turn soon.

*

Padmé was screaming, desperately calling out for Anakin. Her pain let him breathless. Sweat gleamed in her skin, tears dribbling from the corners of her eyes. Distantly, he picked out the noise of a baby wailing. Desperately, he tried to reach for her in any way he could, but it was all futile. He could do nothing to get to her, he could do nothing to ease her suffering. Steadily, her pained cries died down until there was nothing but deathly silence. The quiet upset him more than screaming did because it was final. It was permanent.

Anakin woke with a jolt, sheets coiled around his sweaty skin and his hands clenching fistfuls of bedding. His breathing was ragged, his heart pounding. He pushed himself upright, ignoring the intense pain that flared to life in his side. Instinctively, he reached for Padmé, only to find cold, hard wall. A whimper escaped his lips as he raked a hand back through his damp locks of hair. That's right, he was alone in his room at the temple. 

A cold breeze brushed over his skin, causing the hairs to rise on his arms. Swinging his legs out of the bed, he tugged on his clothing and all but staggered out of the door. He walked with a brisk pace through the winding halls of the temple. The marble columns were lit with eerie and pale lighting. The entire building was abandoned. It was practically a ghost town. His pulse rushed in his ears, more sweat beading his brow. Anakin's walk was more of a run as he raced himself to the temple's docking bays. He had to find her, he had to see her. His guts were kneading themselves into knots. The only thing stopping him from breaking out into a sprint was the warm, calmness of her life force nearby.

In a matter of clicks, he was soaring through the midnight, Coruscant sky. Stars twinkled far above and heavy streams of traffic whizzed around the place. He hardly waited for his speeder to touch down before he raced into her apartment, taking the route that led him directly to their bedroom. When he burst in to find their bed unoccupied, his heart sank from his body. His brows pulled in together, his jaw going slack. Rigidity struck him.

Reminding himself to stay calm, he focused his efforts on the force. Padmé was nearby and was certainly in the apartment. He couldn't lose his head, he just had to look. Creeping back out into the darkness, he systematically checked every single room and only stopped when he finally found her. For some bizarre reason, she was asleep in the guest bedroom. The moonlight poured in through the window and highlighted the curves of her body that were blanketed with thin sheets. She was curled around her stomach, her hair laid out like a halo around her.

Breathing out a long sigh, the tension eased from his shoulders. Wandering closer, he dropped down into a crouch by the side of the bed. He studied, her peaceful, delicate features closely. There was no sign of pain or suffering. The longer he stared however, the more her face twisted into the image he'd dreamed of her screaming out for him. He gritted his teeth. He'd been through enough premonitions to recognise one. His expression twisted downwards. There was no way he could let that come true. Padmé would not die. Not if he had anything to do with it.

Taking in steady breaths to calm himself, he delicately reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind one ear. She stirred at the contact, causing him to duck out of view. He couldn't speak with her about this. Not yet. Not after the way they'd left things. Padmé let out a groan and the bed creaked as she shifted. In no time, she had settled back down once more. 

Slowly, he lifted himself back up to his feet. His eyes lingered on her stomach and his lip curled just a little. "You're going to be okay, Padmé," he whispered. "I promise." Bending over, he planted a delicate kiss on her cheek. Satisfied she was fine, he slunk back to the temple, to his little hole of misery.

*

In the quiet of their little bedroom, Luke found himself laying on his back with his brows pulled down in worry. Something heavy was weighing the force down, like the taste of electricity in the air before a thunder strike. Every time he tried to meditate, it was all he could feel and all he could see. Gnawing on the inside of his lip, he fidgeted with the edge of his blanket.

"Luke," Leia groaned through the darkness. "You're practically fizzing."

"Sorry," he mumbled turning onto his side and curling into a ball.

"What's bothering you?" she asked and he heard her bedsheets crinkle as she shifted too.

"Can't you feel it?" Luke spoke quietly. "There is something coming. Something bad." 

"I can feel it," Leia sighed. "At this point, I'm hardly surprised something is about to go wrong." Luke snorted, his lips curling into a smile. It was true, this unplanned trip seemed to be in a constant decline. The only positive was getting to know the people of this time before the purges began. "You never told me how your talk with Anakin went," Leia spoke through a yawn.

Luke's spirit lifted at the memory. "I think it went well," he hummed, fondly recalling the way Anakin had ruffled his hair and hoisted him up onto the window sill. "I got to the bottom of his upset too." Leia let out a curious hum. "I think Vader was pushing his buttons when he was at the medcentre." 

"Oh," Leia spoke quietly and Luke sensed guilt swirling within her. Had Anakin not saved her, he would never have been subjected to Vader's manipulations, but it most certainly was not her fault. All the blame lay on Vader. "I suppose nobody can wind you up like yourself," she chuffed.

"I think we should keep a close eye on him," Luke commented. "We have no idea why he turned to the darkside, but Vader does." His hands curled into fists. "I know he will use that to his advantage."

"The last thing we need is two Vaders running around," Leia snorted, but Luke felt a flicker of protectiveness from her. A smile curled his lips and he chose not to comment on it. "How difficult could it be to babysit our biological father anyway?"

"I guess we'll find out," Luke laughed.


End file.
